Home and Away: Stags to reach summit of division

15Mar 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner looks to end the week in style with two top of the table selections from France and England.

We're off to France for our penultimate selection of the week, as Ligue 2 leaders Monaco host Angers at the Stade Fontvieille.

Claudio Ranieri's side are in impressive form ahead of this clash, and go into this one unbeaten in 11 outings - a run which has given them a three point lead over second placed Nantes.

Monaco have lost just one of their last 14 encounters on their own patch, and that consistency will see them full of confidence as they head into the final 10 games of the season.

The hosts have kept four clean sheets from their last eight games, and that suggests that they may have enough to nullify their visitors' threat in the final third.

Angers travel to the south coast in decent form themselves - but some poor results on the road show les Scoistes to have won just one of their last four.

A 3-3 draw at home to Dijon on Friday underlined the weaknesses in the Angers defence - and that could play a major part in the outcome of this clash, with Monaco in free-scoring form.

And boss Stephane Moulin faces a selection headache ahead of this game, with Stevie Riga, Diego Gomez, Rayan Frikeche, Pierre-Etienne Lemaire and Jeremy Henin all likely to miss out.

Monaco have won the last two meetings between these sides, and I fancy them to extend their unbeaten run here.

Bet 1: Monaco (HOME) @ 1.76

Switching our attentions to slightly less glamorous climes now, as Mansfield Town travel to Forest Green in the Conference National, looking to extend their excellent recent form.

The Stags have climbed into second place in the division following eight consecutive victories - and now sit level on points with leaders Wrexham, but with a game in hand.

Boss Paul Cox will be delighted with that return from his charges, who have notched a whopping 17 goals in their last eight outings, and have won seven of their last eight on the road.

Mansfield will be desperate to take maximum points from this clash in order to move to the summit of the Conference and heap the pressure on Wrexham, and two clean sheets from their last four away from Field Mill suggests that they are more than capable of punishing their hosts here.

Home side Forest Green go into this clash sitting sixth in the table, but have played three games more than their nearest rivals Grimsby, who occupy the last play-off place in fifth.

Boss Dave Hockaday will be keen for his side to arrest a slump which has seen them fail to win in three on their own patch, and just one goal scored in that time suggests that the Rovers fans have had a tough time of it lately.

Whilst a 1-1 draw against struggling Barrow stopped that rot, it will not have done much for confidence in the home dressing room, and I think they could struggle against a Stags side full of momentum here.

Bet 2: Mansfield (AWAY) @ 2.4