Altrincham v Aldershot Town

Altrincham welcome Aldershot Town to J Davidson Stadium on Saturday and I’m going with the form book for this National League clash.  

Phil Parkinson’s (no, not that one) side have turned their form around recently to avoid any minor relegation concerns. The Robins have won five of their last eight, including each of their last four at home, and have kept six clean sheets, including one on Saturday despite Eddy Jones (international call up) and Jake Cooper (benched) being replaced by Andy White and Kyle Ferguson (full debut). Their only defeats during this period have come away at high-flying Boreham Wood and much-improved Southend United.  

Aldershot Town’s only source of confidence coming into this game will be their record away from home against bottom half sides – they have lost one of eight matches. However, they have picked up just seven points on the road against sides 15^th or higher with one of those being early in the campaign at Southend United and the other a derby match with Woking. The reality is that The Shots have picked up one point from their last seven matches – a 0-0 draw with Dover Athletic – owing to a team devoid of confidence and lacking any kind of attacking impetus. They have scored three and conceded 19 in those seven matches.  Altrincham have won all five home matches against sides below them in the league table, are playing with real confidence and could propel themselves into 13^th with a win.

Eastleigh v Stockport County

In midweek, Dave Challinor took the opportunity to give a couple of his star turns a rest. Out went Antoni Sarcevic, Myles Hippolyte and the injured Macauley Southam-Hales and in came Sam Minihan, Liam Hogan, Elliot Newby and Scott Quigley. The result? A 3-0 away win against King’s Lynn Town in which he could take Ryan Croasdale, Will Collar and Paddy Madden off just after the hour. A perfect evening.  

The result continued their astonishing record of results since Challinor took the reins at Stockport. They have won 18 of his 21 matches in charge. They have won each of their last six away matches by more than one goal. They have a perfect record against sides in the bottom half of the table, winning 15 out of 15. They have won nine matches away from home by more than one goal this season, eight of those coming under Challinor’s watch.  

Eastleigh, meanwhile, are going the other way. Lee Bradbury got off to the perfect start but has seen his side lose the next three. It means the Spitfires have won 1 of their last 14 matches, losing ten, including the infamous defeat against Dover Athletic. Their home form has been a positive this season, winning eight of 17 matches, but they have won just one of their last five and just one of six against sides in the top ten, failing to score in four of those matches.  

This will be Stockport’s last match against a side currently placed in the bottom ten of the league table and they will know the importance of a victory. A well-rested side should do the job and finish it comfortably.

King’s Lynn Town v FC Halifax Town  

FC Halifax Town’s slim chances of a run at the title were dealt a huge blow in midweek with a 3-1 defeat at Wrexham.  

The Shaymen just about retain the second-best points-per-game record in the division but will know their best chance of promotion now will be to finish in the top three – they are level on points with Chesterfield with two games in hand. Defeat against Wrexham was their first defeat in seven with Pete Wild’s side winning six of those. Their away record doesn’t read too great on paper – seven wins from 17 matches – but they have won seven of ten matches against sides ninth or lower in the table and have also won all seven matches played sides in the bottom five overall.  

King’s Lynn Town have performed a lot better recently, losing just five of their last 11 matches but are still finding wins and goals hard to come by – Tommy Widdrington’s side have won two and drawn four of the other six matches, scoring just eight goals and failing to score in six. They have also picked up just one point from their last five home matches – a 0-0 draw with newly managerless Woking – and have picked up just eight points at home all season, all secured against bottom half sides with both victories coming against the sides placed 21^st and 23^rd in the league table. They have just two points from 19 matches against sides in the top half.  

Halifax are one of the fittest sides in the division and playing on a poor pitch won’t be an issue giving their own home pitch. Away victory.  

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Notts County v Chesterfield  

Things haven’t gone well for Chesterfield since Paul Cook took over.  

A run of three wins from ten matches has seen them slip away from title contention – they are now ten points adrift of Stockport County having played a game more. Despite a strong away record this season – eight victories and three defeats from 17 matches – they have won just one of their last six on the road and that was against an Eastleigh side that had just sacked their manager. They are also struggling for bodies at the minute with Cook unable to name a forward on his bench in midweek. Kabongo Tshimanga has been a huge loss.  

Ian Burchnall’s Notts County haven’t exactly been in prime form themselves but they have secured two huge victories in the last week, following up victory at Dagenham and Redbridge with a win against Boreham Wood to overtake Luke Garrard’s side. They have had to find alternative ways to win matches with injuries and illness causing havoc on team selection – Burchnall admitted to having conversations about striker Kyle Wootton starting at centre-back recently. However, Alex Lacey, Connell Rawlinson, Jayden Richardson and Matty Palmer are now over their illnesses, Ruben Rodrigues returned in midweek, Elisha Sam is back in the squad and Harry Arter has joined on loan from Nottingham Forest.  

The hosts are strong at home, winning 11 of their 17 matches at Meadow Lane and four of five matches against sides in the top seven. They are close to full-strength again and have a clear identity, something that Chesterfield are struggling to find under Cook.

Torquay United v Weymouth

I’m backing Torquay United to pile more misery on Weymouth this weekend.  

Things have changed for the better in recent months for Gary Johnson’s Gulls, his side winning nine of their last 17 matches in the league, losing just three. They have won two of their last three and performed well away at FC Halifax Town in a 2-0 defeat, poor decision making in the final third costing them from taking a deserved lead before succumbing to a couple of set-pieces. The Gulls are unbeaten in their last five and though three were draws, they took a 2-0 lead against Barnet and held play-off chasing Boreham Wood and Bromley to impressive goalless draws. Leading centre-back Joe Lewis has returned to the side after suspension.  

David Oldfield has struggled to turn things around at Weymouth. The former Oxford City manager inherited a Weymouth side that had forgotten how to win and he hasn’t been able to change that. The Terras have lost each of their last five and 15 of their last 20. Their away form has been an issue all season, winning just two of 17 matches on the road and they have also won just one match from 23 against sides placed 15^th or higher in the table – and that came in a shock victory on match day three. They have lost nine of their 12 away matches against the same opposition.  

Torquay United have won all five matches played against sides in the bottom three and it would be a surprise if they didn’t make that five on Saturday.

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Woking v Solihull Moors

There must be a part of Ian Dyer beginning to think that this managerial lark is quite easy. 

Since their last-minute defeat against Grimsby Town, Dyer has seen his side draw 0-0 then win three on the bounce with conceding a goal. A change of shape has helped with their improved form, Dyer choosing to move away from 3-4-1-2 and select a 4-2-3-1 formation with experienced pair Tom Champion and Moussa Diarra marshalling the defence. However, it’s notable coming into this game that their four recent results have come against sides currently below them in the table. Woking have drawn one and lost nine of their last ten matches against sides in the top ten.  

Solihull Moors are now fifth in the table following a crucial 2-1 victory away at Grimsby Town in midweek with Kyle Hudlin stepping off the bench to score twice. They are unbeaten in 11 and have scored two or more in nine of those matches – sure to provide a test for Woking’s newfound defensive resilience. The Moors have also lost just one match against sides 11^th or lower in the league table and that came on match day three.  

Neal Ardley knows how to get results against sides further down the table in this division and that will likely show again on Saturday.

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