Last updated at 13:34, Wednesday 23rd May 2012

Strike while the Alex are hot

Mike Holden

For over an hour last Saturday, Southend were bracing themselves for a promotion party in front of a bumper crowd at Roots Hall. The Shrimpers started the day in fifth position but the sun was shining, the stage was set and it was all going to perfection.

Leading against bottom-of-the-table Macclesfield, with reports filtering through that Torquay had crumbled to the point of no return at Hereford, they knew League One football would be theirs if Accrington could hold out at home against Crawley.

However, the champagne was put back on ice 20 minutes from time when Scott Neilson bagged the all-important winner for the Red Devils and only time will tell whether the experience will have a damaging effect on the Essex boys when they head up to Crewe for an evening kick-off on Saturday.

Back Crewe/Crewe double result at 31/10

Needless to say, the big job for Paul Sturrock this week has been to dispel any lingering sense of what might have been. There's no point worrying about tactics if the players aren't in the right frame of mind to carry them out. Meanwhile, the job for Sturrock's opposite number Steve Davis, one suspects, is to emphasise how vulnerable the visitors might be.

Crewe are riding the crest of a wave that started after a 1-0 defeat at Roots Hall on February 18, snatching the final play-off berth with a 16-match unbeaten finish to the season, and Saturday's first leg at Gresty Road appears to be the prime time for them to strike.

The Railwaymen will be mindful of the fact that Shrewsbury were put to the sword in similar circumstances by Torquay this time last year. Having missed out on the final day, the Shrews went down 2-0 at Plainmoor and their designs of making amends under the Wembley arch were left in tatters with barely chance to draw breath.

Therefore, we prefer a smaller speculative interest on the 31/10 about the Crewe/Crewe double result rather staking larger on the home side to win at 6/4 as we believe their first-half display could be instrumental to their chances.

Back Crewe/Crewe double result at 31/10