Crewe v Southend: Shrimpers to retain tag of bogey team

Crewe may have made a successful late charge into the League Two play-offs by enjoying a 16-game unbeaten run to conclude the regular season, but Southend can continue to prove their bogey team this campaign and can claim a third triumph at 19/10.

Southend were not only the only team in the whole of League Two to do the double over Crewe this season, but they were also the last team to defeat Steve Davis’ men, when securing a 1-0 victory in February.

This success may have spurred Crewe into life, but Southend have hardly been in bad form of late themselves, going five straight league games without even conceding a goal.

Furthermore, Southend’s tally of 13 away victories this season is two more than any other club in League Two.

Another factor in their favour is that no team to have finished in the top half of League Two conceded more goals at home than Crewe this season.

Punters fancying Crewe to extend their unbeaten sequence and make the most of home advantage can get 7/5 on a victory, while the 23/10 on offer for the draw may generate some interest.

Despite Crewe’s aforementioned struggles to shut out the opposition at home, there is also the strong chance that the first leg of the semi final will see under 2.5 goals scored at 5/6.

This is because prior to the 2-2 draw with Aldershot on the final day of the season, Crewe had managed to keep four successive clean sheets at home.

Meanwhile, a maximum of two goals have been netted in seven of Southend’s last eight League Two fixtures on the road and neither team at Gresty Road will want to risk too much and put themselves out of the tie with a second leg still to come.