Hereford v Gloucester City (National League North)

It’s fair to say that relatively normal service has resumed over the last couple of weeks for Hereford and Gloucester City. 

Gloucester City recently went five games without defeat, conceding just two goals and even picking up their first away win of the campaign. Since then, they have lost away at Blyth Spartans and 1-0 at home to promotion chasing Southport. While results have definitely improved since Lee Mansell replaced Paul Groves in the dugout and games remain tight, goals remain an issue (they have scored one in their last five) and they have fallen on the wrong side of the finer margins in their last two. 

Hereford, meanwhile, have returned to form and impressively. They endured a tough winter with defeats against promotion chasing Southport, Brackley Town and Gateshead as well as a draw with Curzon Ashton but a 2-0 home victory against Kidderminster Harriers was followed by a 4-0 thrashing of Farsley Celtic at the weekend. It’s been a fairly streaky season but Josh Gowling’s side have won five of their last seven matches at home, keeping clean sheets in all five victories. 

Given that 12 of the last 16 games combined for these sides have seen under 2.5 goals scored, it’s unlikely to be a classic. However, Hereford are the side in form, are strong at home and should send Gloucester home with a third successive loss.

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Dulwich Hamlet v Eastbourne Borough (National League South)

Once again, it’s goals action we are looking for in the National League South. The division is full of them. 

First up, Dulwich Hamlet versus Eastbourne Borough. At home are Dulwich Hamlet, a side that have scored in eight and conceded in nine of their home matches, averaging a total of 3.45 goals per game at Champion Hill. There have been at least three goals or more in 64% of their home matches and at least four goals scored in their last three, the outlier being a surprise 1-0 loss against Welling United. Gavin Rose’s side, who are currently sixth in the league table, have resumed normal duty of late with a 3-1 loss and 4-1 victory in front of their own supporters. 

Eastbourne Borough currently sit third in the form table behind league leaders Dorking Wanderers and second place Maidstone United having won five of their last eight matches. Like most in the division, their games tend to be full of goals with their away fixtures seeing an average of 3.7 goals scored. Every away game has seen at least two goals scored and seven of their ten have contained at least three goals. They have scored in every away fixture and conceded in seven of the ten. Two of their previous four have seen only two goals scored but they were against Oxford City and Welling United, two sides whose goal numbers aren’t as high as other sides in the division. 

With both sides averaging two goals per game scored home and away, respectively, it’s hard not to believe there will be more goals in this one. 

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Hampton and Richmond Borough v Bath City (National League South)

Another two sides whose games are full of goals. 

Hampton and Richmond Borough are kings of the over 2.5 goals at the moment with each of their last seven matches containing at least three goals – albeit most have been scored by the opposition. While their home form has been pretty poor, they are averaging 1.56 goals scored per game and 1.44 conceded, giving them a total average of three goals scored per game, while six of their nine home matches have contained at least three goals. 

As for Bath City, there have been a whopping 38 goals scored in their 11 away matches, scoring 1.27 per game and conceding a whopping 2.18 on their travels. Jerry Gill’s side have scored in seven of their away matches, conceded in ten and 73% of their matches away from Somerset have seen at least three goals scored. The trend remains recent too with Bath seeing at least three goals scored in five of their last eight matches. Perhaps it’s their “if you don’t win it, you might as well lose it” approach – Bath have not drawn a single football match this season. 

Goals are the trend in the National League South and while both sides will be hoping for an improvement in their form home and away, respectively, they should feel confident that there will be a few goals and some entertainment on a chilly Tuesday evening.

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Hemel Hempstead Town v Hungerford Town (National League South)

And finally, more goals.

Hemel Hempstead are having a right old time of things at home. They have won one and lost six of their 11 matches at Vauxhall Road, albeit five of those defeats did come against the sides currently placed third, fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth. Hungerford Town have fared better on the road than at home, winning six of their 10 matches away from Berkshire, including a hugely impressive 2-1 victory against leaders Dorking Wanderers early in the season. 

Both sides, handily, are amongst those scoring and conceding a lot of goals and in this case, the numbers increase at home and away, respectively. The hosts are averaging 3.82 goals total at home with every match seeing at least two goals scored, 82% seeing three goals and 73% seeing four. They have scored in seven and conceded in all 11 of their home fixtures. Hungerford, meanwhile, have kept just one clean sheet and only failed to score once on the road. Their away fixtures are averaging 3.8 goals per game with 1.6 of those being for and 2.2 being against. As for recency bias, three of Hemel’s last four matches overall and at home have seen at least three goals scored while each of Hungerford’s last five have seen over 2.5 goals. As well as three of their last four on the road. 

Despite the 1-0 result in the reverse fixture, there should be goals here.

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