Boston United v Leamington (National League North) 

A case of backing a good home team to beat a poor away team.   

Results have been fairly modest since Paul Cox took charge at Boston United, the ex-Mansfield Town promotion winner overseeing three wins, two draws and two losses so far. The two patterns to emerge in his early games have been that his side have scored in every match and they have been much stronger at home than away, winning three and drawing one at the Jakemans Community Stadium. They have scored 11 goals in those four matches too.  

Paul Holleran will be pleased with Leamington’s return to form recently. His side went ten games without a victory between mid-November and the end of January, a run that finally ended with a 1-0 home win against Blyth Spartans. They have since won three of their last six but all three wins have come at home. Their away form remains an issue. They have won just one of their 14 matches on the road and that came against Blyth Spartans who, at the time, were second from bottom in the league.  

It’s unlikely to be a pretty game but Paul Cox sides tend to be effective and he will back his side to win on Saturday.  

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Darlington v Blyth Spartans (National League North)

Predicting what either of these clubs might do on the pitch from week to week is tough.  

Darlington have been the epitome of inconsistent this season, never going more than four games winless or unbeaten. Those four game runs have come recently, the Northeast club losing four games consecutively, including a 5-0 thrashing at then bottom of the table AFC Telford United, before going four unbeaten, a run that has included victories against AFC Fylde and Chorley. Blyth, meanwhile, have won six and lost eight of their previous 14 matches and surprisingly ended Southport’s unbeaten home record last week.  

What you tend to find with both Darlington and Blyth Spartans games is goals. The hosts have seen at least three goals scored in each of their last four matches and in games against the sides below them in the table, both teams have scored in 12 out of 15 matches, three or more scored in 11 of those. Blyth, meanwhile, have seen three goals scored in four of their last five and eight of their last 12. They have just one clean sheet on the road this season and conceded three or more goals in seven of their 13 away matches.  

I’m predicting goals in this one.  

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Gateshead v Kidderminster Harriers (National League North)

The big fixture this weekend across the National League sees National League North league leaders Gateshead take on third place Kidderminster Harriers. There may be eight points difference between the sides currently but the visitors have two games in hand meaning that victory would put the title in their hands for the first time this season.

I’m backing the hosts to extend their lead here, however. For starters, Gateshead have the strongest home record in the division, winning 12 of their 14 home matches. And while their two defeats did come against the sides in and around them in the league table (3-0 v AFC Fylde and 1-0 v Southport), they have won each of their last three at home and also beat Brackley Town and Kidderminster Harriers earlier in the season, proving they can get the better of the best sides in the biggest games.

As for Kidderminster Harriers, they went into last Saturday having lost just one of their previous 18. Then they went and lost against basement club Farsley Celtic, a real turn up for the books and a result that became more frustrating upon hearing Gateshead had dropped points against AFC Telford United. They come into this fixture knowing a result could be very important come the end of the season but they are yet to beat any of their fellow top six clubs and they lost both reverse fixtures against Gateshead and Brackley Town.

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AFC Telford United v Alfreton Town (National League North)  

Things are so tight down the bottom of the National League North table that Telford were never going to need an absurd run of form to escape the drop zone and so it has proven. 

Since their comeback draw against Leamington on 28^th December, The Bucks have won three, drawn five and lost four of their league matches, enough for them to briefly step out of the bottom two, albeit they are one point ahead of Guiseley who have three games in hand. While victories against Darlington and Bradford Park Avenue were eye-catching, beating a Curzon Ashton side that would be 8^th if the table was calculated by points-per-game was another significant step in the right direction. It provides reason to re-look at their home record this season, which now reads five wins, three draws and two defeats against sides 6^th or lower in the league table.  

Alfreton Town, meanwhile, have seen any early optimism dissipate having won just three of their last 14 matches. This run has seen them play Gloucester City, twice, Blyth Spartans, Guiseley and Bradford Park Avenue – all sides that are currently part of the relegation fighting pack – and pick up just two points. Billy Heath’s side have won just two of eight matches against the sides below them and have picked up just four points from a possible 18 on the road against sides 15^th or lower.  

The hosts have found some form and recent results suggest Alfreton aren’t about to stop that.  

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Bath City v Ebbsfleet United (National League South)

A selection that is based on the hosts inability to perform against the sides in the top half of the division more than Ebbsfleet’s ability to perform consistently at the moment.  

This season has not been a positive one for The Romans, who now sit 19^th in the league table, just nine points above basement outfit Billericay Town and three points ahead of Welling United. They sit bottom of the recent form table with just four points from their last eight matches and have failed to score in four of their last six matches. Most importantly, going into this fixture, Bath City have played 11 matches against the league’s top seven and have not picked up a single point. Not just that, they have lost all but one match by more than one goal.  

A look at recent form may raise concerns about Ebbsfleet United. They have won three and lost five of their last eight league matches, losing all four of their games on the road. However, they have faced some very tough fixtures away from home – Dorking Wanderers, Maidstone United and Dartford all sit in the top four of the league table while Havant and Waterlooville have made a lot of changes to their squad in recent weeks. Curiously, they are yet to play any of the bottom six away from home but they have won five and drawn one against the same opposition in home matches. Their away record against sides below sixth reads five wins, one draw and two losses.  

League form this season suggests the visitors should get back on track here.  

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Havant and Waterlooville v Chelmsford City (National League South)

A mid-table clash between two sides with little to play for coming into the back end of the campaign.  

Paul Doswell has overseen a few changes to his squad in recent weeks and it has paid dividends with victory against Ebbsfleet United ending a nine-game winless run. Following that up with a point on the road against Slough Town was another step in the right direction. Chelmsford City, meanwhile, performed admirably to drag themselves away from the relegation battle, going on a run of one defeat in 12 before defeats against promotion-chasing Dorking Wanderers and Oxford City.  

Goals have been a familiar theme. Havant put four past Ebbsfleet United, have scored in their last three matches and seven of their last nine in the league. They haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last nine either and with fans demanding more of Doswell and his players, it’s unlikely they will be settling for a point here. Robbie Simpson’s side, meanwhile, have scored and conceded in six of their last eight matches, both teams scoring in five. Both teams have also scored in three of their previous four away from home and in ten of their 13 away matches over the course of the whole season.  

The previous fixture between these sides ended 3-2 and while I’m not expecting that many goals on Saturday, I do expect both sides to find the net.

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Maidstone United v Hungerford Town (National League South)

It’s second versus eighth on Saturday in a game that could have big implications on the fortunes of both Maidstone United and Hungerford Town.  

I’m backing the hosts for victory here. Hakan Heyrettin’s side have been one of the strongest sides in the division at home this term, winning nine and drawing one of their 13 league matches at the Gallagher Stadium. Backed by the second largest average crowd in the division, the Stones have won each of their last seven matches at home. They lost a pivotal match with league leaders Dorking Wanderers at the weekend, their first defeat in 14 matches, and the challenge will be for them to put things right on Saturday.  

They have reason to fancy their chances, despite losing against Hungerford Town back in late October. The Berkshire outfit started the season impeccably on the road, winning six of their first eight matches away from home, including victories against league leaders Dorking Wanderers and fellow play-off chasers St.Albans City. Since beating Bath City on 11^th December, The Crusaders have picked up just one of an available 15 points away from home.  

The Stones had won five on the bounce before defeat at the weekend, including big victories against Oxford City, Eastbourne Borough and Ebbsfleet United. I fancy them to return to winning ways this weekend.

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