Football Bet of the Day: Take Hart from the hosts' recent revival

We're spending our Friday evening in Austria

After suffering his first setback of the week, Kevin Hatchard's looking to bounce back with a winning selection from the second tier of Austrian football.

Hartberg v Austria Lustenau
Friday 17 October, 17:30

We wanted a Colombian cracker, but we got a damp squib as Real Cartagena edged out CD Barranquilla 1-0. Shakira's team stay bottom of the league, so poor old Gerard Pique's in for an awful few days, because you know how she gets. For the first time this week we've had our noses bloodied, but we're still winning the fight on points. Seconds out, round five!

We're getting out of South America, and heading to the Austria second division. The bottom side Hartberg are in action against Austria Lustenau.

Hartberg made an awful start to the campaign, losing eight of their first nine matches, and they seemed doomed to relegation. However, they have started to turn things around, and they have taken ten points from their last five games. An improvement in attack seems to be behind the transformation - Hartberg didn't score in any of their first six games, but they have banged in nine goals in their last five.

Austria Lustenau battered Hartberg 5-0 a couple of months ago, but since then Helgi Kolvidsson's side have hit the skids, winning just once in eight league games. Such has been their decline and Hartberg's improvement, just two points separate the two sides in the 1.Liga standings.

It's also worth noting that Austria Lustenau have struggled on their travels this term. They have won just one of their six away games, and that was a 2-1 win at Wacker Innsbruck back in July. If you throw in the fact that Hartberg have taken seven points from their last three home games, then the hosts start to look quite an attractive proposition.

Hartberg are 3.3512/5 outsiders to win the game, which gives us the chance to take up a bit of insurance. If we back them Draw No Bet at 2.3411/8, we win if they win, but we'll have our stake returned if the match is a draw.

Recommended Bet

Back Hartberg Draw No Bet at 2.3411/8

2014 P/L (1pt per bet)

Points Staked: 39

Points Returned: 39.86

P/L: +0.86 points