League Two Betting: Buckle up for ride with Robins

The Robins could be chirping on Saturday night

New(ish) managers at Tranmere on Friday and Cheltenham on Saturday should win, says Ian Lamont, who throws caution to the wind with a punt on Morecambe's enormous price to win at Shrewsbury...

Tranmere 2.3411/8 v Cambridge 3.55/2; the draw 3.55/2

Friday, kick-off 19:45

It appears Tranmere are finding the Power - Max Power - to claw their way into a position of giving themselves a realistic chance of staying up. Micky Adams' reign might not have got off to the best of starts, with five defeats, but they seem to be on a roll now.

Having beaten Portsmouth and Dagenham, their new-found fight was in evidence as they came from behind to defeat depleted Oxford in the FA Cup on Tuesday, earning themselves a crack at Swansea.

There are three games before then and midfielder Power, 21, will surely have the energy to add to what Opta has highlighted, his seven goals in the last nine games (including JPT), even if Adams' doesn't want to big him up in case other teams are watching. Adams is 'relieved' to be out of the bottom two, but - facing Burton on Boxing Day - it may not last long if Rovers cannot overcome Cambridge.

The visitors have their own attacking strengths in the form of Kwesi Appiah (six goals) and their own boost after winning their FA Cup replay at Mansfield. 

But one thing in Tranmere's favour is that, lowly as they are, their home record of two wins four draws and 12 goals for, 13 against is not that much different to Cambridges away (3 wins, 3 draws, 13-14). It gives them a sporting chance. Factor in that they are on the up and they could easily win. The way the odds are marked up would suggest the layers agree. In fact, Tranmere's priced has dropped from 2.68/5.

Recommended Bet
Back Tranmere @ 2.3411/8

Saturday, 15:00 kick-offs
Cheltenham 2.8 9/5 v Portsmouth 2.77/4; the draw 3.412/5

Robins appear on plenty of items that plop through our doors at this time of year, but coincidence is no reason to back Cheltenham. Paul Buckle, however, offers the reason, along with Portsmouth's poor away record. 

As a new manager Buckle now needs to start winning after two league draws (he's lucky he doesn't have Hartlepool's chairman who sacks even new managers after an FA Cup defeat!), with Trevor  Carson keen to start turning performances into victories.

The goalkeeper might not get the warm reception he expects from Portsmouth fans for whom he played last season, having got booed at Bury when going there with Pompey.

But no matter, he knows Cheltenham have underperformed.

Andy Awford must be tearing his hair out at Pompey's inability on their travels. Jed Wallace, leading scorer with eight league goals, returns from suspension after one game, but although he scored on their last away trip Portsmouth still shipping three goals for the third time in four away trips. The visitors might take heart from Cheltenham failing to keep a clean sheet in 14 games, say Opta, but one win and two 0-0 draws all season for Portsmouth hardly bodes well. Amazingly, they are slight favourites for the win here - and the hosts are worth the risk.

Recommended Bet
Back Cheltenham @ 2.89/5

Hartlepool 4.03/1 v  Oxford 2.111/10; the draw 3.613/5

How depleted were 'depleted Oxford' in midweek in the FA Cup? They were without Tyrone Barnett whose loan from Peterborough had ended, although I suspect he'll be back in January. The fans didn't like him to start, but suddenly after finally scoring goals regularly in his final few games they miss him. 

The U's were also without strikers Wes Burns and John Campbell, both cup-tied. As was centre-back Chey Dunkley. So they will be stronger this Saturday. Danny Hylton had to revert from a wider role to play as a central striker. He is best playing off the main striker, ideally linking from midfield.

Oxford need to improve their away record (only two wins) if they are to continue to climb the division. They could still reach the play-offs. However, Hartlepool will have other ideas and need to find impetus quickly, being six points adrift at the bottom after one point gained from eight games.

Luckily they have appointed an experienced manager this time in Ronnie Moore, although he still has to work with the same players who lost in the FA Cup and got the previous manager the boot. The wingers, including Jonathan Franks, looked good that night, but Marlon Harewood really should have done better with the service he was given.

A draw might be a good start for the new man and a decent building block for the visitors,

Recommended Bet
Back the draw @ 3.613/5

Shrewsbury 1.454/9 v Morecambe 9.08/1; the draw 5.04/1

Footballers are not allowed to bet on competitions in which they are involved, but I wager some Morecambe players will have heard they are nearly double figure odds in places to win at Shrewsbury. Written off, in other words. That is Premier League mis-match prices: QPR against Chelsea, say.

League Two, a tight, topsy-turvy division, rarely shows signs of utter mismatches and even when bottom club Hartlepool visited Burton they were no bigger than 5.04/1.

So if I played for Morecambe I'd feel insulted by the 9.08/1 that's been matched this week. It's not like Jim Bentley's men get thrashed every week, or sit bottom. They beat Luton 3-0 at home last week and, more pointedly, Burton away in recent weeks. Many observers thought they were the better team for 60 minutes at Stevenage, where they drew 1-1.

Ageless, gangly Kevin Ellison remains a livewire, Padraig Amond is in scoring form and, state Opta, will be looking to score in a third consecutive game for the first time.

The reason for the long odds - and Shrewsbury's short price - is of course Micky Mellon's side's almost spotless nine wins and a draw at Greenhous Meadow, where they have scored 22 and conceded three.

But overall the Shrews have won once in four games and have scored once in the first half at home in four games.

The prices are overkill, built on the fear factor - and I don't think Morecambe will have any because of the lack of expectation. Even if you decide to cashout at 4.57/2 if the price drops during play, back the visitors as your weekend longshot.

Whatever happens, I'll be in profit at Christmas and while my gradual edging towards double figures has been slow and steady I'm prepared to risk a point as the odds simply seem too big.

Recommended Bet
Back Morecambe @ 9.08/1

P/L 2014-15

+9.23pt