This week I was lucky enough to go to the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday. Armed with my Racing Post and joined by 3 keen fellow punters we enjoyed a day of expensive food, coolish lager and bets galore. All in all we managed to back the winner in 6 of the 7 races and in the race we didn't win one of the team backed the 33/1 second! So without doubt it was a good day all round and roll on next year!
Turning to football, today saw the long awaited (for Spurs fans at least) draw for the Quarter Finals and Semis of the Champions League. Spurs have drawn Real Madrid and a potential Semi with Barcelona. For me as a Spurs fan it really doesn't get better than that! To pit our wits against the top Spanish clubs after seeing off the Italian giants is a dream come true! Hopefully the Madrid games will be as entertaining as Spurs other games in the Champions League this season!
This weekend I will be looking to capitalise on my gains at Cheltenham and finish off a good betting week.
Ipswich play Scunthorpe who both of whom have had a dreadful time of late. Ipswich haven't won at home since beating Sheffield United on 5 February. recently they have conceded 3 goals in their last 2 home games. Scunthorpe haven't even picked up a point away since they won at Burnley on 28th December. Ipswich are a better side than Scunthorpe and should be too good on the day, I take Ipswich to win this at 8/13.
Preston will be bouyed by finally getting a win this week at Scunthorpe and will be looking to extend their winning run at home to Coventry. Coventry are another team on the decline and indeed lost to Preston 2-1 earlier on in the season at the Ricoh Arena. Coventry have become draw specialists of late and haven't won away since February when they beat Palace, they have drawn 3 of the last 5. Preston can win this one and do their survival hopes some good at 7/5.
This week I'm only looking for a treble and my final selection is for Exeter to beat Yeovil at home. Its a local derby and should get a decent crowd at St James Park. Back in September Exeter won the reverse fixture 3-1 back in September. Although Exeter beat Bournmouth 2-0 in their last home game so are once again showing some home form. Last time out Yeovil were beaten 3-0 at Southampton.
Exeter are 19/20 to win this one.
The £10 treble will pay £75.
Good luck with your weekend betting!
Hi Martin, so why only a treble this weekend as opposed to the usual four selections? Either your completely ‘betted out’ after a successful Cheltenham week or the fixtures on Saturday haven’t quite caught the imagination. Either way, this week I too have been looking at a team who need to show some ‘bouncebackability’ after a poor performance in the week, namely Ipswich. I have also included a form team, one whom I have not backed all season and a non-league ‘certainty’! I went from a full house two weeks ago to no wins at all last weekend, despite my homework, so am hoping this mixture will serve up the perfect recipe for success this Saturday!
ReplyDeleteIpswich v Scunthorpe (8/13 home win)
The history books show that the Tractor Boys have a 100% record at home against Scunthorpe and although they boast six wins on the road this season, the Iron last recorded one of these away at Burnley at the end of December 2010 as you have detailed. They have had a miserable time on their travels since then and have only recorded one goal in these seven away games. Arguably the sacking of boss Ian Baraclough this week won’t have helped their cause either. For their part, Ipswich will be looking to improve on a well earned point at free scoring Leeds last weekend and bounce back from their last performance at Portman Road, a 0-3 midweek defeat to Watford. I too therefore expect them to get back on track with a comfortable home win.
Huddersfield v Swindon (8/13 home win)
Huddersfield are unbeaten in their last five home games against Swindon Town, who will be desperate to drag themselves clear of the relegation zone. To do this though, they will have to beat a Huddersfield side who are playing some exciting, free flowing football at the moment. They have proved in recent weeks that they can win away by scoring the odd goal, as fine 0-1 wins away against Yeovil, Bristol Rovers and Brentford will testify. Their recent home form has been something of an enigma though and a win against Rochdale aside, they have struggled to assert their authority against the likes of Leyton Orient, Oldham and Plymouth. Time to step up and improve and I think they will win handsomely.
Aldershot v Stockport (4/6 home win)
The Shots have only been defeated once in their last ten games and although they are the draw specialists at the moment, I think this encounter represents a really good chance for them to get back on track at home and score a few goals. Stockport are rock bottom of the football pyramid at the moment and leak goals aplenty. Add to this the fact they have only scored fifteen on their travels all season (and not won away all year) and you begin to see why this fixture stood out for me. I have not backed Aldershot at all this season, so a home win would be most welcome.
Gateshead v Darlington (4/5 goals crazy)
This is my first foray into the world of non-league footie betting this season, but it is by no means a punt in the dark. I have been keeping an eye out for Gateshead’s results for a couple of months now, my attention first drawn to them following a net busting 7-2 win away at Wrexham in February. Since then, they have had a very good goal scoring record (12 in five games) and I am expecting this to continue again on Saturday. Darlington won the recent first leg FA Trophy encounter 3-2 last week and the teams drew 2-2 in the league at Gateshead four days earlier (it was 2-0 to the Quakers in the other league meeting back in August). With a place in the final at stake, this second leg tie promises to be goals crazy – you heard it here first!
The £1 Yankee pays £43.38. Good luck.