AFC Fylde v AFC Telford United (National League North) 

The news that AFC Fylde had appointed James Rowe was not a popular one amongst fans up and down the country given the rumoured reasons behind his Chesterfield departure.  

In spite of his off-field antics, it’s clear that James Rowe is a manager that knows how to organise a football team and win matches. That has been proven in his early AFC Fylde tenure, winning his first two games in charge at home against Bradford Park Avenue and away at fellow promotion rivals Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday. The ex-Chesterfield and Gloucester City boss will hope it’s the start of a consistent run of form, something that has evaded the Lancashire club in recent months – they had won just six of their previous 16 before Rowe’s arrival.  

Their chances of making it three on the spin are boosted given they are taking on an AFC Telford United side without a victory on the road all season. Paul Carden has done a decent job at The Bucks to date, taking them off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone but he is yet to mastermind that first victory away from home. Telford are pointless away against sides in the top nine, have conceded two or more in 12 of 15 away matches, including each of their last three and five of their last six overall.  

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Alfreton Town v Boston United (National League North)

As predicted, Boston United picked up their first away win under Paul Cox on Saturday, a late Scott Pollock goal securing their first three points on the road since early December.  

The result means that Boston have now picked up four points from four away matches since Cox took the reins and have lost just two of nine matches overall – away at Hereford and Kidderminster Harriers who have been very strong at home. Going into Saturday, Boston have won four of 13 away matches but notably, all four have come in the seven matches played against sides in the bottom half of the league table. Under Cox, Boston have won four and drawn one against sides in the bottom half. They have also scored in every single one of the matches Cox has been in charge for.  

Alfreton Town’s early season promise has gone, the Derbyshire outfit winning just four of their last 16 matches and two of their last eight. They have scored in just one of their last six matches and have won just four of 14 home matches this season – none of those have come against sides in the top ten. Alfreton have also not kept a clean sheet against sides in the top ten this season. They have kept three clean sheets in their last five but two came against sides in the bottom five

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Spennymoor Town v Kidderminster Harriers (National League North)

The Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson managerial duo will feel their reign is well and truly cooking at Spennymoor Town now.  

The pair endured an unusual start to life in the North East, playing just six matches in over two months of management and the lack of consistent game time appeared to be having an adverse effect. Since defeat against Gateshead on 19^th February, they have played five and won four, scoring two goals in each of their victories and keeping three clean sheets to take them back into the top half of the table. Victory against Chorley away from home was the standout but their record against the top four is poor – five matches played, five matches lost, two goals conceded in each.  

It’s the total opposite for Kidderminster Harriers at the moment. The club went on a remarkable run of one defeat in 18 matches during a five-month spell, all while progressing to the FA Cup Fourth Round. However, they have lost their last three, a shock defeat at Farsley Celtic followed up by defeats at Gateshead and at home against AFC Fylde. While Kiddy have now lost all five matches against top four sides, they have still lost only two matches against the rest of the division, winning seven of 11 away matches against sides 7^th or lower in the table.  

Russell Penn’s side responded positively to three consecutive defeats back in October and Tuesday represents a good opportunity to do the same.  

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Bath City v Slough Town (National League South)  

This isn’t an easy game to predict despite recent form.  

Bath City drew for just the second time this season, a 1-1 score away from home against fellow bottom three outfit Welling United, a result that did neither team much good in light of Billericay Town’s win – the Southwest outfit are now six points off the bottom having played a game more. They are now winless in eight and have won one in 11.  

Slough Town, meanwhile, have won three of their last five, impressively beating title challengers Maidstone United on Saturday and Ebbsfleet United on the road. They also lost away at Braintree Town. Only Billericay Town and Welling United have picked up less points on the road than the Rebels.  

What we do know is that Slough Town have a remarkable record for conceding and scoring goals. They are yet to draw 0-0 this season and both teams have scored in 22 of their last 26 matches, only faltering recently against St.Albans City and Braintree Town, two sides who have been involved in low-scoring games recently. 

The question going into this one is whether Bath City can score. They have only scored in three of their last eight matches but have played Braintree Town, Dorking Wanderers, Dartford and Ebbsfleet United during that run. Both teams have scored in eight of their 14 matches against bottom half sides, conceded in 11 and scoring in ten of those matches. They have also scored in two of their last three. With Slough having conceded in each of their last 17, it stands to reason that the hosts can score once.  

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Billericay v St. Albans (National League South)

The result of the National League weekend came at Bulpit Lane. Billericay Town are bottom of the National League South, the division’s lowest scorers, were six points adrift of safety, had won one of their last seven and won on the road just twice. They beat Hungerford Town, who had won their last five at home, 4-1.  

It has helped paint a slightly different picture in their bid to survive. They are now just four points behind Welling United with a game in hand. They will also go into this fixture believing they can pull off a shock given that four of their five wins this term have come against sides in the current top ten. 

However, Billericay Town are bottom of the division for a reason. They have won just twice at home – against the inconsistent pair of Dulwich Hamlet and Slough Town and while they may point to a record of losing four of their last 14, they have lost three of their last six and have won one of their seven home matches.  

St.Albans City aren’t in the best form having won just two of their last eight. However, they are pretty consistent against the sides at the bottom of the league table, winning 12 of 17 matches against sides 11^th or lower in the table and are unbeaten away from home against the same opposition, winning six and drawing two. They have also scored at least two goals in all five matches against sides in the bottom three.  

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Maidstone United v Dulwich Hamlet  (National League South)

Maidstone United were yet another side to succumb to Slough Town at the weekend, their second defeat in four matches and a result that saw them slip three points behind league leaders Dorking Wanderers. However, Hakan Hayrettin’s side responded positively to their previous defeat by winning two on the bounce and they will fancy their chances of returning to winning ways on Saturday. 

The Stones have been strong at home all season, winning 11 of their 15 matches, including each of their last nine. That had included wins against Dartford, Ebbsfleet United and Oxford City. Maidstone have lost just one home match against sides outside of the current top six – against Slough Town – winning eight of ten.  

Dulwich Hamlet have been inconsistent in recent months and while their away form is just as strong as their home form (six wins apiece), Gavin Rose’s side have won just four of their previous 15 matches and two of their previous nine away from home. A big issue has been conceding goals – Dulwich Hamlet have kept two clean sheets in 19 matches. They came back-to-back at the end of February but they have since lost 2-1 and 1-0.  

In a meeting of the two most well-supported clubs in the National League South, I’m backing the hosts to make it ten home wins in a row.  

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