Di Canio expects Bees to sting

Swindon Town boss Paolo di Canio insists his men will be looking for all three points in their League Two clash at Barnet on Tuesday night but expects the hosts to scrap for everything (Barnet 4/1, Swindon 4/6, draw 11/4 Match Prices – bet365).

The Robins head to Underhill sitting pretty at the top of the standings, with 77 points from 38 games played, and victory will further enhance their chances of gaining automatic promotion (Swindon 1/7 League Two Outright – bet365).

A win would put them eight points clear of fourth-place Shrewsbury and it would take a collapse of huge proportions for them to blow it with just just seven games to go after the clash in north London.

Conversely, Barnet are fighting for their League Two survival and are just one place and three points above the drop zone with Tuesday’s game in hand on the two clubs below them.

They have taken just five points from their past five games and lost 1-0 at home to Torquay last Friday while Swindon drew 0-0 with Bristol Rovers in their last outing.

It all points to a tough night for the hosts when the Wiltshire side come calling and di Canio made it clear that Swindon will be going all out for the three points to try and increase the distance between themselves and their promotion rivals.

He said: “It is obvious we are going there to win because we want to take advantage of the game in hand we have and extend the gap between ourselves and the teams behind us.”

However, the nature of the pitch, conditions overhead and the Bees’ parlous position in the league means that they might not necessarily have it all their own way.

“It will not be easy, the pitch is famous across the country for being a little downhill on one half and it is forecast to rain,” added the Italian tactician. “Barnet will also give everything because it is one of their last chances to try and move away from the relegation zone.”

Pack aiming to wrap up Shrimpers

Cheltenham Town star Marlon Pack is confident the Robins can bounce back from a poor run of form to challenge for promotion as they prepare to face Southend on Friday night (Southend 6/5, Cheltenham 11/5, draw 12/5 Match Prices with bet365).

The Gloucestershire outfit were not tipped to pull up any trees this season and were written off as promotion material before a ball had even been kicked.

But they have surprised many and currently sit in seventh place in the League Two standings, with 65 points from 39 games played.

They are four points clear of Crewe, who are just outside the play-off zone in eighth, and must hold their nerve over the remaining seven games to make the post-season competition.

But Mark Yates’ men have stumbled in recent times and have taken just one point from their past five games, courtesy of a goalless draw with Oxford United last time out.

Victory on Friday would see Cheltenham leapfrog Southend and move into fifth place and Pack is upbeat about their chances of turning things around.

“We are all hungry and we all want to get promoted. The recent run we’ve been on will spur us on more,” he said.

“We are confident we can pick up plenty of points and all the lads are determined to put things right.”

Southend are not in top form either, having taken just five points from their past five games and, following victory at Hereford, have lost their last two matches to Aldershot and Bristol Rovers.

Boro wait on defender Ashton

Stevenage defender Jon Ashton will be given a late fitness test ahead of his side’s League Two play-off final against Torquay at Old Trafford on Saturday (Stevenage 13/8, Torquay 8/5, the draw 23/10 – 90 minutes betting – bet365).

The centre-back has a calf injury and missed the second leg of the semi-final win over Accrington but was hoping to be fit for the final after several days of treatment.

However, he remains a doubt and Darren Murphy, who came in for him against Accrington, is again on stand by to start.

Graham Westley does have influential midfielder John Mousinho available after he served a three-match suspension but Luke Foster serves the last instalment of his four-match ban.

Torquay have no injury problems ahead of the game and Gulls boss Paul Buckle is again set to name an unchanged side from the one that saw off Shrewsbury in the semi-final.

Buckle is looking forward to leading his side out at Old Trafford and is determined to guide his side to victory and a place in League One next season (Torquay HT/FT – 10/3).

He said: “It’s the best we’ve done as a group so far. It’s important because it’s the next game and we try to look forward.

“We know what we’ve achieved prior to this game but we’d desperate to add to that. It’s going to be a great occasion. It’s a game we must try to win.”

Boro star ready for Gulls challenge

Stevenage striker Chris Beardsley is expecting a tough encounter with Torquay in Saturday’s League Two play-off final but insists his team-mates will be ready (Stevenage 13/8 with bet365 to win in 90 minutes).

The two sides are set to meet at Old Trafford this weekend for the right to join Chesterfield, Bury and Wycombe in League One.

The Gulls finished the season in seventh place in the standings on 68 points, with Boro one place and just one point better off and so they have already taken care of the two sides that finished above them in the play-off standings.

Both finalists were both playing non-league football just a couple of seasons ago and are now on the verge of achieving another promotion.

Everything points to a tight contest at the Theatre of Dreams, with the clubs playing out a goalless draw at Broadhall Way and the Gulls triumphing 2-0 at Plainmoor during the regular season (Torquay 100/30 with bet365 to win to nil).

Beardsley, who came off the bench to score the winning goal in last Friday?s semi-final second-leg, is full or respect for Saturday’s opponents and feels the Hertfordshire outfit can use whatever knowledge they can muster on the south west outfit to their advantage (Beardsley 7/1 to be first goalscorer).

“We will prepare for it like any other game, we’ll do our homework on them and obviously we have already played them twice this season so we will take the positives from what we know about them,” he said.

“Torquay have had just as much success as us, they have been promoted like us so I am sure they will be a tough prospect.”

Procter looking for “greatest win”

Accrington Stanley midfielder Andy Procter admits his side have the proverbial mountain to climb in their League Two play-off semi-final second-leg clash with Stevenage but is hopeful of turning things around on Friday night (Accrington 100/30 to qualify for play-off final).

The north west outfit lost the first leg 2-0 at Broadhall Way as they froze on the night and were unable to rise to the occasion, with goals by Stacy Long and Joel Byrom giving the Hertfordshire side a two-goal cushion.

But the ‘Owd Reds are a different proposition on their own patch, and won 10 of their last 11 games of the regular season at the Crown Ground to finish in fifth place in the table.

Stanley boss John Coleman has already stated that he feels his side are favourites to progress to the final despite the deficit.

Procter is not as confident as his manager but believes that they cannot play as badly again and it will be game on if they can manage to bag the first goal of the game (Accrington Stanley evens to beat Stevenage).

“If we pulled this off it would be the greatest win certainly in my time at the club,” he said. “I think the first leg was our worst performance of the season and we could have been 4-0 down at half time, but fortunately we’ve got a second chance.

“The first goal is going to be massive and if we can sneak that it’s all to play for.”

Away goals do not count in the play-offs and so a 2-0 victory would lead to extra time and the possibility of penalties.

Millers part with Moore

Rotherham United (5/2 with bet365 to be promoted) have parted company with manager Ronnie Moore, despite the team sitting in the play-off places in League Two.

The Millers board decided that it was time for a new man at the helm following Friday’s 5-0 defeat to leaders Chesterfield.

That result meant Rotherham (21/20 to reach the play-offs) had picked up just three points from their last five games and they now lie five points outside the automatic promotion places.

The decision to part ways brings to an end Moore’s second stint in charge of the South Yorkshire club, who have also allowed assistant boss Jimmy Mullen to leave.

Coach Andy Liddell will take caretaker charge of the team until the end of the season and he will be assisted by Paul Warne and Andy Dibble.

A statement from Rotherham praised Moore’s “wholehearted contribution” to the club during his two spells with the Millers.

Rotherham will return to action on Friday, when they make the journey to Sincil Bank to face Lincoln City (Lincoln 6/4, Draw 9/4, Rotherham 8/5 – Match Betting).