Hatters remain favourites to beat Silkmen

The BetVictor News/Gazette column

It has been a roller coaster ride for Luton fans again this season after a disappointing home defeat against Telford was followed with an excellent 3-1 win at Ebbsfleet on Bank Holiday.

Around 1,200 Hatters took over three sides of Stonebridge Road to create a fantastic atmosphere and were rewarded with an impressive display of clinical finishing.

Stuart Fleetwood was one of four forwards Town deployed from the start and he bagged a brace to take his season tally to six which cements his place at the top of the scoring charts.

We at BetVictor make him 4/1 clear favourite for the Golden Boot ahead of former Hatter Aaron O’Connor (10/1) who scored again on Tuesday night when Newport kept their 100 per cent record intact after defeating Hereford 2-0 in front of over 4,000 at Rodney Parade.

Yet another former Luton man will be back at Kenilworth Road this weekend when Matthew Barnes-Homer lines up for his new club Macclesfield.

Last season’s relegation from the Football League has not stopped them making a terrific start to life back in the Conference and they arrive in second place in the table ably assisted by four goals from Barnes-Homer who is available at 14/1 to finish the term as top scorer.

Luton are 10/11 to make home advantage tell with the draw 5/2 and the Silkmen 3/1. An impressive three away wins on the road has helped Luton into fifth but they really must break their home hoodoo if automatic promotion is to be achieved and they remain 2/1 favourites ahead of 9/2 Newport to lift the crown.

Town are even money for promotion and 1/6 to finish in the top five which shows the high esteem we at BetVictor hold them in.

There should be a hugh crowd at the Racecourse for the lunchtime Welsh Derby between Wrexham and high-flying Newport. This looks an acid test of County’s early title credentials and they can be backed at 23/10 to make it six wins on the bounce.

Wrexham are 23/20 and the draw 13/5 but I feel the Dragons may need more firepower to be genuine title contenders and a move into the transfer market is needed to appease fans.

Kidderminster are pointless after five straight defeats and find themselves only 6/1 for a bottom four finish.

The trip to fellow relegation threatened Barrow should give them ample chance to secure a first win and they can be backed at 31/20 to do so with the Bluebirds 13/8 and a draw 5/2.

Mansfield were expected to be Luton’s main challenge at the summit but, after a disappointing start with three defeats, manager Paul Cox is likely to be feeling the heat. They still retain an impressive looking squad and will hope to heap further misery on Woking at Field Mill after the Cards were defeated 4-1 at home by Braintree in midweek; 4/5 looks an eye catching price which punters are likely to find hard to resist.

In the Premier League, Liverpool were unlucky not to have beaten Manchester City at the weekend but how many times have we said that in the last 12 months?

Arsenal have started off with a couple of 0-0 draws and they are taken to get a point at Anfield at 12/5 in the big PL fixture of the weekend.

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