WHENEVER England face San Marino, it’s hard not think back to that night in November 1993 when the minnows capitalised on an under-hit Stuart Pearce backpass after just eight seconds to take a shock lead against a side led by Graham Taylor.

The man on the scoresheet for the hosts that day, Davide Gualtieri, still gets asked for his autograph over two decades later, even though England went on to win the World Cup qualifier 7-1 - but what chance one of his compatriots joining Gualtieri in the history books as the two teams meet again in a Euro 2016 qualifier today?

It’s highly unlikely according to bookmakers, bet365 pricing San Marino at 20/1 to open the scoring and also offering 11/2 for them to breach the England rearguard at any stage. It follows that Roy Hodgson’s charges are a slender 1/9 (bet365) to triumph to nil and they’re just 1/50 with Stan James to come out on top and 100/1 via Ladbrokes to be the victims of an upset.

Backing an England win is a waste of time, indeed it’s more a case of how many they’ll score or the margin of victory and in William Hill’s handicaps the Three Lions are even money when starting five goals adrift of their opponents.

Starting three in arrears, Hodgson’s men are 1/2 by Stan James and in the correct score betting, a 5-0 away triumph is the result bookmakers believe is the most probably, Skybet chalking it up at 6/1. That was the outcome when the teams met at Wembley in October but when the Three Lions last visited San Marino they struck eight times without reply, a result that’s 11/1 courtesy of Paddy Power to be replicated.

Stan James quote a 6-0 success at 13/2 but better value is the same firm’s identical quote about a 4-0 victory as the Sammarinese will keep plenty of men behind the ball in an attempt to frustrate England.

Phil Jagielka broke the deadlock last time and he’s 18/1 (bet365) to do so again. As the breakthrough could come from a set piece, Gary Cahill also stands out at the same price, Wayne Rooney is an understandably skinnier 23/10 via William Hill to notch first and bet365 rate Harry Kane at 11/4.

In League Two, Hartlepool led twice but were beaten by Carlisle last weekend and bookies don’t think they’ll bounce back today, Skybet classing Pools as 4/1 underdogs at Wycombe.

The Chairboys are odds-on at 4/5 with Stan James to make it back-to-back defeats for Ronnie Moore’s side, who are 27/10 (BetVictor) to return with a point. That wouldn’t be a bad result considering they’ve lost to Wanderers in the pair’s last seven meetings, home and away, and bet365 make Pools 4/1 for a score draw.

It’s 13/2 at William Hill to finish 1-1, Paddy Power price the two halves to be level while travelling fans can hedge their bets by backing their side either at 12/5 in Ladbrokes’s Draw No Bet market or in bet365’s handicaps, where they receive a goal start at 11/10.

Stan James chalk Pools up at 5/1 to come out on top by a one-goal margin, they’re 16/1 via BetVictor to edge it 2-1 and 15/8 (bet365) to open the scoring.

Odds supplied by www.betrescue.com

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