League Two Betting: Pilgrims to march on at Brewers

Much-travelled Ian Sharps has to lift the Burton troops after Gary Rowett's exit

Plymouth can sneak victory at shellshocked Burton after their boss left for Birmingham says Ian Lamont, who also challenges Southend boss Phil Brown to prove he's worth the new long-term contract...

Burton 2.68/5 v Plymouth 3.185/40; the draw 3.412/5

Football is a transient business. Managers can be poached without finishing the job they started. Has Gary Rowett really proved himself? He took the Brewers into the play-offs twice and they have topped League Two this year. 

Is that enough or do you need a promotion to be a success? When is a job in football ever 'finished'? Rowett is right to take the chance to improve himself and an easier question to answer is 'will this act as a shock to the system for Burton?'. Yes, I think it will. Enough so in the short-term to harm their chances in this match.

Centre-back Ian Sharps might feel somewhat jealous of Rowett's move up the pyramid, having been put back on the League Two carousel every time a team he plays for wins promotion. He remains a reliable performer at the back for Burton. But that will not be enough against Plymouth, nor will Stuart Beavon's possible return up front after suspension.

That's because, as Burton try to impress for a new manager, they face a side which has not conceded in the last five league games, winning four and drawing one. It is a proud record, but their away record is not pretty - four defeats, two wins and a draw.

John Sheridan believes League Two to be an inconsistent division 'this season'. Where has he been these past two years? Perhaps he sees this muddling league differently now he is in a promotion campaign not a survival one. 

Suddenly he is finding he thinks his team could beat anyone. And quite possibly they could, because they rarely concede. If they can score through Reuben Reid or Lewis Alessandra perhaps and it seems no coincidence Bobby Reid has been on loan from Bristol City during that period. No wonder Plymouth have renewed the deal for another month. 

They fear nobody it seems and, what's more, were the last team to beat Luton - away. Captain Curtis Nelson says promotion is the 'minimum' the Pilgrims are searching for. Games like this will prove whether that is a fair ambition. 

Recommended Bet
Back Plymouth @ 3.185/40

Mansfield 3.55/2 v Southend 2.35/4; the draw 3.412/5

There is a shred of value left in Southend's price, because they need to revive their season before it falls apart. Two points from the past five games are not the sort of return that Phil Brown ever had in mind, with promotion the aim.

They are still smarting from not being awarded a penalty which would have given them a victory over Bury, compounded by losing in the Essex Senior Cup after urging his fringe players to push themselves back into his first-team plans.

Local commentators were left frustrated by the lack of attacking ambition against the Shakers, referring to a change to 4-5-1 with the game still up for grabs and no shots on target in the second half. The Shrimpers managed just one all match.

The next four league matches are all against teams in the bottom eight and Southend, giving Brown the chance to take more attacking risks and justify that long-term deal he says he is about to sign.

Shaquille Coulthirst at least scored in midweek and is surely worth another chance up front with Barry Corr. Mansfield run a pretty tight ship - home and away - just like the visitors. They at least managed a goal at York, Barry Carr managing his first for the club. They had eight shots on target, which is in contrast to not scoring in four of their previous five matches.

Each side are low scorers this season, but the visitors are better than that.

Recommended Bet
Back Southend @ 2.35/4

Exeter 3.185/40 v Luton 2.68/5; the draw 3.412/5

This might be the game to interrupt Luton's run of seven straight wins, but possibly not the one which ends their unbeaten nine-game run.

Exeter have their own fine run - one defeat in nine and that puncture coming when players were arguably tired after England Under 20s duty, only catching up with their team-mates on the day of the game.

What's more, the Grecians have only lost twice at St James' Park, a venue where in recent seasons Paul Tisdale has applied to wear the club's away colours, such was the team's penchant for picking points up on the road but throwing them away at home.

St James' remains a place of shocks, with Hartlepool winning there a few weeks ago, but they will be full of confidence now, having beaten then leaders Wycombe in their last home fixture and then, last Sunday, won 2-0 at Morecambe - who are flying well, if a bit hit and miss.

Was Luton's late, late show against stubborn, injury-hit Northampton a sign that the luck you need to maintain a pure run of wins is running out? Victory came in time added on, Luke Guttridge scoring having come on and changed the game, boss John Still having shaken up the formation in the process.

In the entire game, there were five shots on target - Luton having two.

Exeter will prove equally stubborn, having drawn 1-1 three times at home where they no longer feel jinxed. The Hatters will be happy with a draw, which could team them top going into FA Cup week.

Recommended Bet
Back Exeter and Luton to draw @ 3.412/5

Hartlepool 3.412/5 v Newport 2.47/5; the draw 3.55/2

This time last year it was Justin Edinburgh who was all the rage and being touted for every job. This season, no such noises and yet Newport have stormed on in similar fashion, being joint second in the six-game form table with 13 points in the Exiles' rise to seventh.

He praised Swansea loanee James Loveridge, 20, this week, leaving fans wondering why he played him on the wing - even as a wing back - rather than give him a chance up front with Joe Pigott.

Edinburgh must be buzzing. In contrast, his opposite number Paul Murray is exhausting himself as Hartlepool's new boss, having barely slept or ate since taking charge. 

Not healthy. He also has a very young average age squad - just three players are older than 25, including Scott Flinders who has been a very busy keeper this season. It could take a couple of weeks for Murray to sort this out, which means an ounce of value is left in the Newport price.

Recommended Bet
Back Newport @ 2.47/5

P/L 2014-15

+3.19pt