League One: Goals not on the agenda at Brisbane Road

Although the midweek 1-0 loss against Stevenage was better, Orient could have played for a thousand minutes and not scored.

Alan Dudman expects Notts County and Tranmere Rovers to maintain their good start to the season, whilst goals are definitely not on his agenda at Brisbane Road for the weekend.

Leyton Orient 2.226/5 v Hartlepool 3.45n/a ; the draw 3.3512/5

Despite the season being just two games old, Saturday throws up a couple of teams already low on confidence. Orient have lost both of their matches, whilst Hartlepool received another verbal bashing from their boss Neale Cooper on Tuesday night.

The Londoners were punished for their defensive inefficiencies in the opening League One match at Tranmere last weekend, beaten 3-1 and lacking any sort of attacking inspiration. Although the midweek 1-0 loss against Stevenage was better, they could have played for 1,000 minutes and not scored. I thought at the start of the season that O's boss Russell Slade might be under a bit of pressure, and another poor result will start more grumbling from the stands.

Meanwhile Hartlepool defended stoically in the 0-0 Saturday opener with Swindon, but once again showed their 'Jekyll and Hyde' nature with a poor performance at Notts County on Tuesday - losing 2-0. Cooper laid into his players afterwards, citing basic mistakes and poor attitude. Worryingly he was quoted as saying "I can't trust this team".

Pools have yet to score, Orient have scored once. Both look short of goals, and Cooper's side are showing next to nothing in terms of their final ball. I think the visitors might go with their away formation of a variation of 4-3-3, which really is a 4-5-1. As both look short of confidence already, a draw with an In-Play lay-off looks a solid bet to back up an under 2.5 goals affair.

Recommended Bets
Back the draw @ 3.309/4
Back under 2.5 goals @ 1.875/6
Back 0-0 @ 9.008/1

Shrewsbury Town 2.526/4 v Tranmere Rovers 2.982/1 ; the draw 3.259/4

League One new boys Shrewsbury have adjusted well to life higher up the football pyramid, and Graham Turner's re-modelled side extended their magical 33 game unbeaten home run on Tuesday night with a 1-0 win over the physical Preston. Early signs are good, with some decent build-up play and possession over their two matches.

Tranmere are rocking, two from two with handsome victories over Leyton Orient (3-1) and Carlisle United (3-0), with a plethora of goals coming from wily veteran Andy Robinson and Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro. The latter has been a wasted talent over the years, whose poor goal record hasn't matched his natural ability. Perhaps the 27-year-old will blossom at Prenton Park? He has the right manager in Ronnie Moore, who has a fast, pacy, counter-attacking team which could suit this match perfectly.

Rovers have defended well from the early skirmishes and have got goals in them. Their away form really let them down last term, but I am liking the look of Tranmere from what I have seen so far.

Recommended Bets
Lay Shrewsbury @ 2.526/4
Back under 2.5 goals @ 2.001/1

Notts County 1.804/5 v Walsall 5.104/1 ; the draw 3.6013/5

Like Tranmere, Notts County have enjoyed a 100 per cent start to the season, with wins against Hartlepool
and Crewe. In truth, Keith Curle's side looked different class during Tuesday's success over Pools, with the star man Andre Boucard excelling in midfield.

The Magpies have a small but quality squad, and their title odds of 12.50n/a are understandable. Curle used a 4-5-1 formation in midweek, a set-up that really suits the excellent Alan Judge, who plays a creative attacking role just behind veteran goal poacher Lee Hughes. Whilst the delivery of Alan Sheehan from wide areas and dead ball situations is a joy to behold.

I have subscribed to Walsall boss Dean Smith's fan club, not only because I once played in midfield alongside him for a charity game at Brisbane Road, but he's a man who gets his young squad playing for him. At times they can be naive, but they can also play with no fear and responded well with a gutsy 1-1 draw at Oldham this week.

However, if the Magpies are to be contenders, these are games they should not lose.

Recommended Bet
Back Notts County to win @ 1.804/5

There are no comments on this article.

Amazon Watches Center

Ebor Handicap: York on agenda for Icon Dream

"It's the Ebor for him, I would think. Then we'll see after that..."

Jim Goldie has the Ebor Handicap as the target for Icon Dream after the five-year-old finished a close third in the John Smith's Northumberland Plate...

The Glasgow trainer is hoping the prestigious staying handicap at York on August 25 might lead to even greater things for the Sadler's Wells gelding.

"It's the Ebor for him, I would think. Then we'll see after that," said Goldie.

"He's rated 100 and we'll play it just one game at a time.

"We're just keeping him to selected races with him fresh and well and hopefully we'll get a pay day.

"If you win the Ebor, you get an invitation to the Melbourne Cup provided you get rated high enough. It's a tough race that one and is a Group One handicap."

Icon Dream is available to back in the Ebor market, with the likes of Simenon, High Jinx and Mount Athos all currently on the exchange.

Get open access to Timeform data for just £2.50 a day with Timeform Race Passes. It's like a Form Book, Black Book & Race Card all in one! Find Out More!

There are no comments on this article.

Amazon Watches Center

Supreme Novices' Hurdle: Dundalk still on Steps agenda

News / Timeform / 08 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Jessica Harrington: Trainer of Steps To Freedom and Oscars Well.

"He'll run in Dundalk on Friday week in a mile-and-a-half race and he then may go to Leopardstown for a gallop after racing on March 4..."

Current Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Steps To Freedom remains on course to have a run on the Flat at Dundalk on Friday February 17...

Unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, Jessica Harrington's six-year-old has plenty going for him with the Festival in mind, not least that he is already a Cheltenham winner having struck there in November.

Harrington has given her exciting youngster, rated 144p by Timeform, a winter break since but he will soon be back in competitive action.

"He did a breeze on Friday and worked yesterday (Tuesday) and I'm very happy with him," the trainer told At The Races.

"He'll run in Dundalk on Friday week in a mile-and-a-half race and he then may go to Leopardstown for a gallop after racing on March 4. It depends how he comes out of the race in Dundalk.

"He was out in the field for six weeks and then we brought him back in and we've just been building him back up. He seems to be fresh and well.

"The great thing was we got him to Cheltenham in November and he travelled over well and he's got experience of the course now. So when he goes back there in March, he'll know where he is."

Steps To Freedom is currently trading as the [10.5] favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Another major Festival hope for Harrington is Oscars Well, who bears a Timeform rating of 164, and would have gone very close to winning last season's Neptune Novices' Hurdle but for stumbling at the final flight.

His latest run behind Hurricane Fly in the Irish Champion Hurdle was his best of the season and Harrington is hopeful her charge can get closer to the reigning champion granted better ground for the Champion Hurdle itself.

"He stepped up again and he's been improving all winter," Harrington added.

"He has a high cruising speed and I'm not saying he'll ever beat Hurricane Fly, but as I've said to the owners, with some reasonable luck we'll run into a place in the Champion Hurdle.

"I think he ticks all the boxes as he likes good ground, he seems to like Cheltenham and he loves races that are run at a fast pace.

"Hurricane Fly is a very good horse. He's probably one of the best hurdlers we've seen since Istabraq, if not better.

"He's won 10 Grade Ones now and that's an amazing record."

Oscars Well can presently be backed at [18.5] for the Champion Hurdle, with Hurricane Fly heading the market at [1.96].

The Roger Varian-trained Eton Forever features among 97 initial entries for the Lincoln at Doncaster on March 31......

Unbeaten champion Black Caviar will face eight rivals in Saturday's $400,000 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield (due off 04:50 GMT) when she goes for her 18th straight victory and her eighth at Group 1 level......

With Saturday's card at Newbury at the mercy of the elements, Betfair have opened a market regarding whether racing will take place......

Amazon Watches Center