FA Cup Betting: What spark is in the Spartans?

Can the side named after the troops of King Leonidas win on Friday night at Hartlepool?

Blyth's trip to Hartlepool has the ingredients for a giant killing and a lack of goals, says Ian Lamont, who assesses the chances of some League Two sides and backs the Dons to spring a surprise...

Friday, December 5, kick-off 19.55, Live BBC2
Hartlepool 1.548/15 v Blyth 7.26/1 the draw 4.57/2

Has the Spartans' ship sailed? Or rather has the shock of a small non-league team beating a Football League side live on the television had its outing this year, with Exeter losing at Warrington?

Blyth Spartans, of course, are the away side having already defeated a team from a higher level, Altrincham, in the first round.

But the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League side do have one thing in their favour that even the Warrington players didn't have - players who grew up with or supporting their opponents.

Blyth's squad includes three former Pools youth players, defender Nathan Buddle and midfielders Damen Mullen and Stephen Turnbull - and goalkeeper Peter Jeffries used to be a season ticket holder with his family including his dad, who remains one. The credentials for the 'romantic' FA Cup giant-killing are there.

So, do we expect Jeffries to play out of his skin - as boss Tom Wade says his side will have to do to win - or for the pressure to get to him?

The visitors have been beaten three times in 15 games and their lowly league position masks good runs not only in the FA Cup by FA Trophy, having played just 16 league games.

They did beat Bury away,  but that was in 1995. They beat Shrewsbury at home in 2008 and would relish taking Pools back to Croft Park.

Hartlepool will not look forward to this one, even if they did see off another non-league team in East Thurrock in round one. The cameras were not live, then, to shine a spotlight onto a struggling side for whom that was a first win under new boss Paul Murray in his third game. They have scored twice in three games since (winning against York). 

Murray describes the game as 'huge' and is handicapped as Matty Dolan and Scott Fenwick are cup-tied and Sheffield United loanee Joe Ironside is unavailable. Newcastle striker Adam Campbell, however, is allowed to play.

Blyth are not the double figure odds to win Warrington were. But Pools are still worth laying at start with a view to cashing out on the half-hour mark (they scored their first against East Thurrock on 32 minutes) if they haven't scored.

Blyth are likely not to give too much away and a low-scoring affair might also be worth backing.

Recommended Bets
Lay Hartlepool at 1.548/15 to cashout at 2.56/4
Back Under 2.5 Goals at 2.56/4 

Saturday, December 6 kick-off 15:00
Bury 2.245/4 v Luton 3.613/5; the draw 3.55n/a

On current form, there is no way that Luton should be a bigger price than Bury, even if they are playing at Gigg Lane where the hosts have won seven League Two matches and lost just three.

Statistics are there to confuse - they have lost the last two at home and the last three in total. Meanwhile, the Hatters are on the march up the division, sitting second after gaining 13 points from the last six games. They might have lost their last away game, but that was at an inspired Burton.

Paul Benson, prolific in this division, scored his first goal last Saturday which seems to have raised Shaun Whalley to score, too, while top scorer Marc Cullen (8) will be looking to end his five-game barren spell.

The Shakers are shaking a little. Having slipped to either, David Flitcroft's side will be eager to put things right (two wins from seven league and cup matches is not what is required) but will be more concerned to do so at Oxford next week.

Recommended Bet
Back Luton @ 3.613/5

Oxford 2.111/10 v Tranmere 4.47/2; the draw 3.613/5

It was a toss-up between this one and the Wycombe match as to which away team was more likely to win. Tranmere have just started their season in earnest, courtesy of the 3-1 win over Portsmouth (who are terrible away) while Oxford should be doing much better than they are.

Arguably, both teams would prefer to 'concentrate on the league' but neither can now afford to think twice about the possible third round booty that awaits. Would either team miss the FA Cup in preference to the league this season? 

On-loan Tyrone Barnett can play for the hosts, Danny Hylton is not suspended as he was for the first round. For Rovers, Max Power and Shamir Fenelon will be eager to carry on where they left off last week, after scoring. Kayode Odejayi insists there is little difference between the top and bottom teams.

Oxford aspire to be at the top, but might have to settle for a replay in this battle of the strugglers.

Recommended Bet
Back Oxford and Tranmere to draw @ 3.613/5

Sunday, December 7 kick-off 14:00Wycombe 1.981/1, v AFC Wimbledon 4.57/2; the draw 3.55/2

As regular League Two readers will know, I despise anything odds-on and Wycombe are just about that. On league form, you would expect Wycombe to win, but this isn't the league and the Dons - old incarnation or new - love to spring a surprise.

They will relish being the underdog, like the Dons from the top flight days whose scalps in FA Cup matches included Spurs and Liverpool in the final of course. There is no expectation or pressure on them to perform.

That, combined with a three-pronged attack if Neal Ardley decides to pursue the experiment he used at Oxford, could prove key. Matt Tubbs and the two Adebayos - Akinfenwa and Azeez - all started in that game, which somehow ended goalless.

Wycombe, in the league, have only lost at home to Tranmere (ridiculous) in August and Burton (sublime) a couple of weeks ago, at two ends of the spectrum. It is of course a long shot to expect eight-goal Paul Hayes and seven-goal Peter Murphy and the Chairboys' many talents who have taken them to the top of the league to have a collective off-day. 

But Ardley knows his team are capable if they put their act together. Victory may even act as a spur for improved league form. This is my long-shot selection, but in horse racing terms the Dons are lively outsiders.

Recommended Bet
Back AFC Wimbledon @ 4.57/2