League Two Betting: Back Tisdale's magic touch

Paul Tisdale has conjured up some success at Exeter in recent weeks in difficult circumstances

Exeter seems to have found the right blend of enthusiastic, talented youth and experience at present, while Carlisle's revival under Keith Curle might gather pace says Ian Lamont...

Dagenham 2.77/4 v Exeter 3.02/1; the draw 3.412/5
Friday 19:45

Paul Tisdale started the season with a transfer embargo and, still working on a very tight budget, is now looking like some sort of miracle worker after three straight wins and four games unbeaten.

The Exeter boss says he can cope with two, maybe three, injuries per week, but last week he had six - and his team still won.

Matt Grimes is flourishing, just like his fellow England under-20s international Christy Pym, who has made a string of fine saves and also benefited from training with the national team.

Youngsters on the up - ambitious and full of energy - can be a dangerous commodity for an opposition.
Add in an experienced head, 37-year-old Matt Oakley, who can still adapt between centre-back and midfield, and you have potency. All of which makes them a danger to the Daggers. I saw a comment this week that the teams are only two places apart, so both teams would fancy their chances of victory.

Lesson from that is don't look at the league tables, pretty much at any time during the season, if you want value. Ten points from four games is the Grecians' haul, conceding yes but scoring in all four.

Dagenham? Four points in the same time period. Yes, they will want to build on last week's victory over York, whose touch seems to have eluded them. For me, it's the form table which counts and Exeter deserve the punter's penny to continue the back-against-the-wall miracle.

Recommended Bet
Back Exeter @ 3.02/1

Saturday 3pm kick-offs
Hartlepool 2.89/5 v Carlisle 2.915/8; the draw 3.3512/5

Keith Curle's revolution at Carlisle is underway, not only with a 1-0 victory over Hartlepool but - if local sources are to be believed - in the public arena.

One commentator said that if success was measured by press conferences under Curle, United would be in the play-offs already. Now he has to charm, coax and coach his new troops to multiple victories, reshaping the squad accordingly along the way. Clinton Morrison, 35,  the former Ireland, Crystal Palace and Colchester striker is reported to be among free agent trialists who turned out in a midweek behind closed doors friendly.

Curle has much work to do. He began to like what he saw in the second half of a 3-2 defeat to Mansfield, his first game. He was even more impressed when they beat Tranmere on his daughter's wedding day.
But it was only 1-0. And it was hard-fought. 

Hartlepool - like Tranmere and indeed Carlisle, up against it at the wrong end of the table - might see this as a chance to start to make amends. But they have scored once in four games and shipped seven. 

Their main scored (three goals of Pools' total of five) Charlie Wyke, on loan from Middlesbrough, 21, has missed a game through concussion and suffered a couple of cuts close to an eye last weekend. If he needs bubble wrap, Marlon Harewood probably needs the same to keep his well-travelled muscles in trim.

This is a pretty crucial game for Hartlepool, but if Curle continues to get the best out of David Amoo and Kyle Dempsey, their top scorers, and of course the defence.

Recommended Bet
Back Carlisle @ 2.915/8

Bury 1.84/5 v Tranmere 5.24/1; the draw 3.711/4

Despite the obvious pitfalls of backing a team odds-on, a price such as 1.804/5 on Bury could even be considered a little generous.

Six wins from eight unbeaten before last weekend's forgivable defeat at revived Exeter means the Shakers could be an even shorter price. Defeats to good teams happen over a season. David Flitcroft's side do look very capable of sustaining their great start.

Danny Rose has five goals and chasing him hard are Daniel Nardiello and Ryan Lowe on three. Whatever striking options the manager chooses, they look strong.
Tranmere's Rob Edwards - a rookie boss - seemed disheartened, to put it politely, when fans, rather unpolitely, unfurled a banner saying 'Edwards out'.

It is always easy to criticise. What is harder is to battle on and find a solution, but doing so at Gigg Lane looks a tall order.

Recommended Bet
Back Bury @ 1.84/5 

Wycombe 2.56/4 v Northampton 3.39/4; the draw 3.412/5

Chris Wilder believed the match at Morecambe last weekend was his side's toughest test to date this season. Shrewsbury would disagree, in terms of the quality of opposition. Maybe he had also forgotten that the Shrimps had gone off the boil, not even scoring in three of their previous four matches.

But maybe his remark meant something deeper. Maybe it was a reference to his injury list. This weekend, he might have Marc Richards, his top scorer with seven goals, returning, but he still has nine players out injured.

Whatever he meant, if he felt Morecambe were the hardest hurdle yet, arguably he now faces an even tougher away game, because Wycombe are second and, some would say, are defying gravity. Paul Hayes would disagree, having scored his 100th league goal, in the victory over Cambridge United.

Both sides won 1-0 last weekend and another tight game seems in prospect, with neither wanting to give up their hard-earned form.

Recommended Bet
Back the draw @ 3.412/5 

P/L 2014-15 season

+1.45pt