League Two Tips: Swindon making swift strides

“Maybe Oli Hawkins can bag another couple for Mansfield as he did against the Bantams, but will it be enough to fend off the unbeaten Sulphurites?”

Gilbert adds to Robins’ growing list of positives

Stevenage 2.77/4 v Swindon 3.211/5; the draw 3.211/5

A month ago they had four players – now they are promotion contenders. That’s the cry from the optimists in Swindon and it doesn’t seem out of place. After a summer backdrop of ownership disputes and having no chief executive, Ben Garner has pulled together a squad capable of first stability in the early season then winning two games in a row. Forward Alex Gilbert is the latest recruit, on loan from Brentford, to rival Tyreece Simpson, on loan from Ipswich, for a place.

They have not conceded for three games, defeating pre-season favourites Salford on their own turf and Mansfield, who were also among the front runners with layers before a ball of the campaign was kicked.

Hopefully they can manage without Anthony Grant, called up by Jamaica. The Robins have turned down multiple offers for defender Ben Hunt from Wrexham.

Gilbert is dynamic and shot hungry, says director of football Ben Chorley. Can he prise open Stevenage is the question? Alex Revell’s men started the season in fine fashion and remain unbeaten at home, beating Barrow and drawing with Port Vale.

Defeat at Walsall must have been highly frustrating last Saturday. Boro had plenty of chances – mostly off target – through Jack Smith, Jake Taylor, Luke Norris and signed again Bruno Andrade, who joined recently from Salford having been at the club on loan previously.

I certainly don’t think Stevenage should be favourites of the three prices, because the visitors are more than capable and confident to claim a positive result. Gilbert’s arrival could cement their strength as they grab a win.

New-look Salford finding their feet

Carlisle 2.915/8 v Salford City 2.915/8; the draw 3.211/5

Donald Love, recently of Shrewsbury, became Salford City’s 12th summer signing this week, as Gary Bowyer continues to turn his squad inside out. The defender is a former Manchester United youngster, of course. He joins D’Mani Mellor, 20, who comes on loan directly from Old Trafford, from where two other loanees have hailed since the Ammies joined the Football League.

Salford are part owned by several players from the ‘Class of ’92’ Manchester United youth team. It didn’t stop them being ruthless in sacking a manager this time last year – and he was unbeaten after five games.

Bowyer has only managed to inspire one win so far, Saturday’s 3-0 drubbing of Newport, with Ty Wright among the scorers and Conor McAleny netting his first goal. Ian Henderson added his experience for the third. Maybe that will kick start their season.

Carlisle will be wary, having only won once themselves. Last weekend, at Hartlepool, they conceded two goals in a game for the first time this season. Matches involving Chris Beech’s men have been tight. In five games they have scored four and conceded four. Tristan Abrahams has two of those strikes and fellow summer signing Zach Clough notched his first of the season in last Saturday’s defeat.

Beech was delighted to capture Kelvin Mellor on deadline day, and attacking midfielder Jordan Gibson before that. Former Morecambe defender Mellor offers assets both at the back and in front of goal, says his new manager, who remembers him having an outstanding season at Blackpool a few years ago, scoring aplenty. Winning promotion twice from the division is certainly a plus as he replaces George Tanner, who was sold to Bristol City on Monday. But whether he can keep the visitors at bay is another matter.

Stags and Sulphurites can conjure goals

Mansfield 2.01/1 v Harrogate 4.67/2; the draw 3.711/4

Nigel Clough will be hoping his side’s home form this season will stand up to Harrogate’s scrutiny. Two goals in each home game still hasn’t brought a full round of victories, with Bradford taking three points the last time the Stags played at Field Mill.

Swindon, away, reaped nothing either. Maybe Oli Hawkins can bag another couple as he did against the Bantams, but will it be enough to fend off the unbeaten Sulphurites?

Simon Weaver’s men will be in no mood to give up their run of three wins and a draw, having scored an average of two goals per game. Jack Muldoon is off the mark for the established members of the squad, while Luke Armstong (three) and Alex Pattison (three) have netted for the summer recruits.

Harrogate won both matches against Mansfield 1-0 last season. Such a low scoring match seems unlikely. Back over 2.5 goals at 2.111/10.

Fresh faces to lift Tranmere to a draw

Tranmere 2.89/5 v Hartlepool 2.915/8; the draw 3.412/5

So many players sign as the August transfer deadline approaches it is hard to know whether they are scatter gun panic signings or judicious arrivals.

Tranmere’s problems don’t seem to be too much at the back – they have conceded just twice in five games – but added Celtic’s Lee O’Connor, 21, on a season long loan having been with Rovers last season.

Former Fleetwood midfielder Mark Duffy, 35, brings experience, while Micky Mellon’s side seem to have most problems scoring. They scored in their first game of the season and have drawn four blanks since. Just as well then they have captured Stephen Walker on loan from Middlesbrough and the experienced League Two campaigner Nicky Maynard.

Bedding in new signings is always the issue. Will fresh enthusiasm make an impact immediately? Or will they not grasp quickly enough whatever patterns of play Mellon has been working on in training?

Hartlepool seem well set with three wins and a high-scoring defeat. Goals in every game and two clean sheets bode well for a point here at least.

Tyler Burey has had a great impact so far on loan from Millwall, scoring in the last three games from midfield. That’s one more than striker Gavan Holohan. He’ll hope to play catch up, but the new faces for the home side might inspire them to keep the result level.