Bookies name Luton as favourites and reveal all their odds for Saturday

The low-down from Betvictor.com

Luton Town must, for the fourth year running, wear the mantle of bookmakers’ favourites for the Blue Sq Conference as they begin their quest for the Holy Grail that is a return to the Football League with a home game against Gateshead on Saturday.

Since we began betting on the title at BetVictor punters have latched on to the Hatters and they are currently 2/1 from an opening 10/3 with Mansfield Town 5s, Wrexham 7s, Forest Green and Grimsby 9s and 14/1 Bar.

Indeed Paul Buckle’s men are only 5/4 to be promoted back to Division Two although the aim, after their recent play-off heartache, must be the conference title given 7,000 are expected to be at Kenilworth Road for the season curtain-raiser.

The Hatters are 4/7 to make a winning start with Gateshead 5s and the draw at 3/1.

Some will argue why should this be the season where it all falls into place for Luton, having flattered to deceive previously, and that is a fair point.

That said there doesn’t appear to be a club as strong as Fleetwood were this time last season and it should be noted that the Lancashire side are second favourites behind Rotherham for Division Two.

It will be fascinating to see who Paul Buckle gives the nod to up front at Kenilworth Road with last year’s Conference top scorer Jon Shaw a welcome addition to a squad that already looked brimful of goals.

Shaw is 22/5 to score first against his former Club with Stuart Fleetwood the same price and Andre Gray and Scott Rendell 19/4; note Shaw is 11/10 to net at any time against the Heed.

The Hatters are 11/10 to be leading at both half time and full time and Buckle will be hoping his side are quick out of the starting blocks to lay down a marker to the rest of the division.

We at BetVictor bet 7/4 there will be four or more goals in the game and I expect a comprehensive success.

Shaw is our 7/1 favourite to repeat last term’s feat and head the Conference goalscoring charts with Andre Gray 12s, Scott Rendell 20s and Stuart Fleetwood 25s.

Buckle’s embarrassment of riches up front may lead to him rotating his attackers and perhaps Mansfield’s Matt Green might be worth an interest at 8s.

Next week we’ll see what effect week one has had on the Conference title odds.

For all your weekend odds check out betvictor.com.