League Two: Robins to add to Coleman's woes

21Dec 2012

Ian Lamont believes Rochdale will continue to falter on Friday, while on Saturday he will be twisting again, like Wycombe.

Rochdale 2.64 Cheltenham 2.9 Draw 3.5 Friday, 19:45

Rochdale boss John Coleman says he has never been one to shy away when things get bad and he surely had enough experience of that at Accrington. The difference now, however, is that he is at a club with higher expectations. His success at Stanley over more than a decade was admired by the football world because of the club's name - being unfashionable unless you were a milk lover. He left, surely, believing he had a better chance of going up the football ladder: Even at Rochdale, who spent four decades in the fourth tier before flirting oh so briefly with League One.

They could not be saved from the drop; crowds dwindled; they bob around in average form and hit a bad spell of four straight defeats. Objectively, they have found their level, and revel in an occasional cup run or promotion. Just like my team Aldershot. Fans voicing their concerns might give Coleman food for a team talk, but defeating Cheltenham seems a tall order. Mark Yates's men won at Northampton and drew against Port Vale when they deserved to win. A draw would be their minimum expectation after, as Opta point out, scoring in all but one of their last 14 games. I fancy the away win.

Back Cheltenham @ 2.9

Southend 2.24 Chesterfield 3.65 draw 3.45 Friday 19:45

Britt Assombalonga extending his loan from Watford until the end of the season is fantastic news for Southend, who can celebrate with a home win over Chesterfield on Friday night. (If you want the Friday night shock, back Barnet. On a normal day, Burton should see them off.) He and Gavin Tomlin have netted 22 times for the Shrimpers, who are now unbeaten in 11 league and cup games. Paul Sturrock believes the extended signing underlines the club's promotion credentials.

Chesterfield could spoil the jubilation, having kept four clean sheets in five away trips, but I have a feeling the home side, who it has to be said are a short enough price, can take a narrow win in the head-to-head between the teams second and third in the six-game form table.

Back Southend @ 2.24

Bristol Rovers 3.65 Rotherham 2.12 Draw 3.6

New Rovers boss John Ward believes he now has the toughest job he has ever done in his second stint at the club. As if "rebuilding the club in four days" before a game was not difficult enough, the former Colchester chief faces Rotherham. The games do not get much tougher than up against a manager under pressure to get a team out of the division. Steve Evans usually claims to know what team the opposition will put out and, it is quite likely, Ward will stick to quite a few tried and tested. If they didn't like working for Mark McGhee then he has a chance to lift them. But if he is looking to shock them into action, he needs to remind them that, in the past three years, 50 per cent of the sides in the bottom two at Christmas have gone down. Six teams now have changed managers in League Two this season and none of the new bosses has won the first game in charge. The Millers' four wins out of six - and three tight away wins in a row - make joy for Ward unlikely.

Back Rotherham @ 2.12

Wycombe 3.15 Bradford 2.38 Draw 3.45

Bradford have rewarded their fans for cheering them to glory and a financial windfall in the cups by giving them free entry to the game at Wycombe, if they buy coach travel for £10. Good PR, but the cynics might suggest Bradford need all the supporters they can get after expensive cup runs and on a long trip near to Christmas, or simply need to refocus fans' attention on the league.

The fact that plenty of tickets have been sold speaks wonders for the Bantams supporters' optimism that Phil Parkinson's side can continue their admittedly great form. They drew at Southend last weekend despite a below par away record and over exertions in cup action. Three draws and a win in the last four on the road signal an improvement, but Wycombe are also on the upward curve. They are the form team in the six-game table and nailed last week's longshot gamble. Stick or twist on the Chairboys? With Matt McClure, Matt Spring and Joel Grant all suspended I'll forgive you for sticking. But I can't resist a twist in the party season.

Back Wycombe @ 3.15