Bookies Say Struggle

The Uniteds of Southend and Hartlepool will complete the League One line up next season after a weekend of mixed emotions for them both at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

It was sheer joy for Southend yesterday as two goals in extra time saw them defeat Lincoln 2-0 in the League Two play off final after a goalless 90 minutes. After finishing fourth and just missing out to us on the last day of the season, Southend looked to have been heading for penalties before leading scorer Freddy Eastwood broke the deadlock in the first half of the extra 30 minutes. And just five minutes later, one had become two as Duncan Jupp doubled Southend’s advantage and sealed Lincoln’s fate as another season in League Two. Just under 20,000 fans made the trip to the Millennium Stadium today.

Hartlepool and play off failure are beginning to go hand in hand although for ten glorious minutes for them this afternoon it did appear as if they were to break their play off duck when they lead Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in front of just under 60,000.

The Owls had taken the lead on the stroke of half time when Jon-Paul McGovern gave them the lead but that was cancelled out almost immediately after the break from Eifion Williams. And when Jon Daly gave the monkey hangers the lead with 20 minutes left it looked as if Hartlepool were heading for the second flight of English football for the first time.

But their hearts were broken nine minutes from time when an innocuous looking push saw the referee award Wednesday a penalty and worse was to follow for Hartlepool with Chris Westwood being shown a straight red card for the foul. Steven McLean converted the penalty and for the third successive game at the Mill Stad extra time was needed.

Wednesday found themselves ahead within four minutes of the restart when Glenn Whelan capitalised on a Nelson error to fire home and in stoppage time at the end of the game Andrew Talbot secured victory to send the Owls back into the championship and leave Hartlepool contemplating another season in League One.

Bookies have installed Nottingham Forest as the favourites to bounce straight back up, making them a 9/2 shot for next season’s title, closely followed by Tranmere at 13/2. Bristol City follow at 9/1 with Hartlepool 10/1.

The good news is for any Swans fans fancying a bet next season at going straight back up – the Swans are 33/1 to win the title, with longer odds only available on Scunthorpe (40/1), Chesterfield and Southend (both 50/1) A quarter of the advertised odds are available for any side to finish in the top thre.

The full list provided by Bet 365 is as follows

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