League Two Tips: Back Cambridge to continue great start

Mullin has old side in his sights

Cambridge [2.8] v Tranmere [3.0]; the draw [3.4]

Cambridge have made themselves hard to ignore for all the right reasons, when the predictions before the season were that they might have to fight at the wrong end of the table.

They still might, but for now Mark Bonner‘s men are doing him proud. Evergreen Irishman Wes Hoolahan‘s contribution is proving, at 38-years-old, that experience is valuable.

Idris El Mizouri, 19, on loan from Ipswich, says he has unfinished business having been on loan at the Abbey Stadium in the past. But the story here about unfinished business is surely striker Paul Mullin facing the club where he had great success, yet who let him go in January to Cambridge.

He has settled in nicely, scoring three times in two games. Cambridge’s defence has also impressed, keeping two clean sheets while the attacking departments have smashed in eight goals. After the avalanche often comes a blockade, perhaps because of over confidence. Therefore defeating Tranmere will be trickier, particularly as Mike Jackson‘s men feel hard done by, for being relegated on points per game.

However, Rovers have not scored this season in League Two. Jackson said he wouldn’t rush new signings into action, but presumably can’t now wait for Kaiyne Woolery to be fit to play alongside James Vaughan. Midfielder Liam Feeney, in from Blackpool, started on the bench for the 3-0 drubbing by Cheltenham but was thrown into action after just 36 minutes. Settling back into this division has not been an easy transition for the Merseysiders and they will not find Cambridge in an accommodating mood.

Bolton still finding their feet

Bolton [2.5] v Newport [3.3]; the draw [3.4]

A “fans’ jury” discussion in the Bolton media concluded that it is early days for Ian Evatt‘s new squad as they adjust to League Two. A couple of defeats early season shouldn’t be too much concern, they said. It would be more of a worry about 20 matches if the defence still looks shaky or the midfield crab like, or chances to score remain few and far between. A few too many non-league standard players seems to be a worry.

There is plenty of time for Bolton, but boss Ewatt was excited by his team’s positive performance at Colchester – he felt the best yet – Jak Hickman came in for praise for his right sided work and crosses. Whatever he is supplying, the big goalscoring hope Eoin Doyle hasn’t netted yet.

Don’t judge us now is his message. A switch to a back four seems to have involved midfielders Tom White and Brandon Comley more in the game.

Newport are more along their line of evolution, but can they push up the division ino the play-offs this season, rather than be labelled a cup team? Once again they are making headlines, this time in the League Cup after beating Watford 3-1 in midweek. But they have also taken league points.

Ryan Taylor, recruited from Plymouth, has scored in both League Two matches. But it was the old guard of Ross Ladabe and Padraig Amond who were given starts and who finished off the Hornets by scoring the goals on Tuesday.

The Exiles can push home the advantages of evolution over revolution with at least a draw. Their away form in the past year has not been great, losing 10 and winning one of their last 12, say Opta.

Accounting for a little fatigue from midweek excursions, and Evatt’s hoped-for improvement from his hosts, a draw looks a distinct possibility, with Bolton winning just once in 18 league games of their own.

Unbreached Valiants can burst Harrogate bubble

Port Vale [2.04] v Harrogate Town [4.0]; the draw [3.9]

Unlike Bolton, who have started the season like a heavy goods vehicle according to one of their fans, Port Vale have begun like a train. Not a team that were on many pundits’ radars before the season, I had them down to be promoted. Their price to actually take the League Two title has almost halved, from [18.0] to [9.4]. On the opening day they were too short a price, for my liking, to back against Crawley and last week they earned more than I expected at Exeter, who seem to have gone a little backwards. Their price to win this week has quickly gone south from [2.14] initially.

A home match against Harrogate in their first EFL season seems another strong opportunity to gain a victory. They have not conceded yet. The back four, led by Leon Legge, look solid. Dave Worrall, last season’s player of the year, had an excellent game against Exeter in midfield. It didn’t seem to matter that Mark Cullen wasn’t particularly involved up front. John Askey‘s men seem to have enough people who can step up and put in top performances each time, if not everyone is on top of their game.

For Simon Weaver‘s visitors, Jack Muldoon seems to be relishing his return to a Football League chance and has netted three times in two games, having been the focal point of helping the Yorkshire side to achieve league status.

He and strike partner Aaron Martin, another with more non-league experience than in the league, have a combined age of 60. So there is plenty of experience to test Port Vale’s unbreached backline and keep them busy.

The pair of them will impress fans – watching online – in abundance this season, but a more wily Port Vale, unbeaten in 10 league games Opta remind us, ought to have enough to contain them, continue their victorious ways and inflict a first league defeat on the visitors.

Kewell faces tough ask against former employers

Oldham [2.52] v Crawley [3.2]; the draw [3.5]

Oldham have not been the best of friends with publicity in recent years. Having hired Paul Scholes as manager, there were various suggestions of off-field interference from owners keen to push players they had bought, without the manager’s knowledge, into the first team. Scholes walked out because he couldn’t get on with management. Dino Maamria evidently didn’t totally see eye to eye with them, before leaving in July.

Latest manager Harry Kewell says his and the management’s ideas on signings so far have aligned. That’s good – especially as the Latics have signed more than a dozen players this summer.

And, yet, there was another odd piece of disharmony announced this week when David Wheater, last year’s captain, and Gary Woods were suddenly told they were not going to be involved with the first team any more. That story brought up Oldham’s warnings over late payments to players in January, February and March and disputes with players over the use of furlough. New CEO Karl Evans seems to have a huge job on his hands keeping people happy.

On the pitch, Kewell’s men haven’t scored a League Two goal yet in two defeats. The manager was impressed with Ben Hough, brought through the ranks, as they beat Wolves in the EFL Trophy 4-0, reversing a run of three straight defeats without scoring. This time, goals were netted by Bobby Grant, the former Wrexham midfielder who scored in the 3-0 League Cup win over Carlisle to start the season, and Conor McAleny, the former Fleetwood forward.

The hosts’ new-look squad are taking time to bed in. Crawley, one of two previous clubs Kewell has managed, got themselves their first league goal of the season – and first points – beating Scunthorpe at home. A trip to Boundary Park will be based on a bit more belief after that win, which was achieved without Ashley Nadesan and Sam Ashford, late withdrawals from the attack. Sam Matthews enjoyed the style of play though, and Tom Nichols scoring his first for the club.

John Yems, the Reds’ boss, isn’t interested in fans’ grudges against Harry Kewell, whose style of play wasn’t liked and who was quick to quit Sussex for Notts County in 2018. He’d like three points for now, not to right past wrongs. If Nichols can be sufficiently supplied, they can pinch all three points. They were not much good on the road last season, last winning back-to-back games in August last year say Opta, but have a great chance to address that here.

Source: BetFair Tips