I have previewed four football matches for subscribers today, you can read one ( the smallest staked selection) below. We have a bumper weekend ahead and probably at least six match events previews on each of Saturday and Sunday. Sign up for a clubgowi subscription before 09.30 UK time on Saturday, to have them all delivered directly to you email inbox.

 

France: Ligue 2 :CA Bastia-Chateauroux

 

The visitors did us a favour last Friday with a 2-0 defeat of Auxerrre ....Chateauroux have played at relegation level for the last 12 months and it is hard to argue they are not in their true position, in 19th and with just CA Bastia below them in the table.However, it is just as easy to debate that they are strong at home, where they have won five times ( the same number as Angers who are third)  and collected 17 of their 19 points. Today they are without suspended front man Kévin Dupuis (13-4-1)  and injured midfielders Ludovic Guerriero and Emeric Dudouit, neither of whom are "new" missings. The hosts have put three past Dijon and Clermont here in their last four home starts and are perfectly capable of doing the same today, whether they can do so with a cleansheet is a very different question.
 

That was a solid performance and the points took them out of the drop zone and if they could edge this one, they would virtually condemn CA Bastia, who are already nine points adrift of safety to relegation and give themselves some breathing space at the foot of the table. However, they are on the road !
 

Chat are 0-2-9 away from home and as bad as that sounds, they have actually not won on the road since March 9th 2012, that is 35 Ligue 2 starts (0-12-23) over which they have scored an average of just 0.71 goals per game. Obviously they do not board the team bus bursting with confidence and it must be extremely difficult giving a rousing pre match team talk. Having said that, they are not going to get a better opportunity to break that duck than today, facing a home side who have not posted a win (0-5-5) in their own stadium, something will have to give, unless we have a draw, which is far from impossible, but that is not going to help CAB's cause much.
 

The hosts have "improved" since the turn of the year, winning in the cup and drawing 2-2 here in 90 minutes (one was also in the cup) with in form Niort and fellow strugglers Istres. Most eyecatching of all was a 1-0 road win at Nancy and they took highflying Angers all the way last week, eventually conceding in the 89th minute. So, definite signs of life.
 

Ahead of the meeting with Istres I wrote ...The hosts (CAB) are in deep trouble, seven points adrift at the foot of the table, but a shock win at highflying Nancy last week has given them a lifeline and their fragile confidence got a further boost in midweek with an extra time win over Niort in the cup.They have only scored nine goals all season, but they have not been facing a backline as suspect as Istres every week and four goals in the last seven days hints at better to came from the hosts offensively and they have to gamble today.
 

For the visitors, Kevin Dupuis (see above) returns, Dudouit remains injured and is joined on the sidelines by Maxime Bourgeois (22-4-6) he is ever present this season, but Chat have lost all three when he has played an hour or less and obviously, a player who has contributed to ten of their meagre tally of 28 goals is going to be missed. On loan Milan youngster Attila Filkor is also out, he has not featured much, but looking at all the missing, it does leave them short of midfield options.
 

Bastia's need is great, they look more likely to score at home, than Chat are to on the road at present and I have to chance the home win. 1.25 units CA Bastia -0.25 ball 2.21 asian line/ Ibramarket.

 

Bastia CA : Lombard, Philippon - Truchet, Monfray, Mam.Camara, Fabre, Phojo, Rouamba, Marty, Grimaldi, Mba, Moizini, Romey, Cropanese, Al.N'Diaye, Pastorelli.

Châteauroux : Bonnefoi, Millieras - Nestor, Bain, Fournier, Obiang, Afougou, Esor, Polomat - De Freitas, Tait, Chamed, Peuget, Guerriero - Maboulou, Garita, Makengo, Dupuis.

 

Good Luck.