Alfreton Town v Gateshead (National League North)

Having drawn with York City and lost 3-0 at home to AFC Fylde, Gateshead went into Tuesday night’s North East derby with Blyth Spartans needing a victory – for bragging rights and to regain top spot in the league table. They achieved it comfortably, dispatching their opposition 3-0.  

It was a reminder of the league leaders’ quality going into their fixture with Alfreton Town and their record this season should give them plenty of reasons to believe they will take the three points. Since defeat at Leamington in early September, Mike Williamson’s side have dropped points twice against sides outside of the top five – the reverse fixture against Blyth Spartans and a resurgent York City  

Alfreton Town’s game on Tuesday was about damage limitation having been thumped 5-0 by lowly Bradford Park Avenue on Saturday. Their form has been indifferent since mid-November, Billy Heath’s side winning three and losing seven of their last 12 matches. Clean sheets have been the biggest issue – The Reds’ 0-0 draw with Kettering Town in midweek was the first time they have denied the opposition since a 2-0 victory against Spennymoor Town on November 6^th. 

More resilience will be needed if they are to keep another on Saturday – Gateshead have scored at least eight more goals than any other side in the division and are league leaders for a reason.  

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Hereford v Guiseley (National League North)

Josh Gowling took the reins at Hereford in January 2020 yet it’s only now in the last couple of weeks that he has completed an actual half season in charge of a football club.  

It’s been an interesting season for the 38-year-old, his side enduring a very difficult start with just one win in their opening 10 matches. They have since won nine of their last 14 to force their way into the top half of the table and the only sides to stop them picking up all three points are those currently sat above them in the league table. The Bulls have won seven of their last nine home matches with only Gateshead managing to earn all three points at Edgar Street, showing the improvement that Gowling’s side have made over the course of the campaign.  

This selection does feel a little harsh on Guiseley who have certainly improved of late. Russ O’Neill and Marcus Bignot have seen their side score in seven of their last eight matches having scored just twice in the previous eight with the signings of Dom Tear (FC Halifax Town) and Scott McLean (Spennymoor Town) clearly having a positive impact. However, Guiseley remain a side with just two victories on the road this season and have lost in each of their last three away from home.  

I feel Hereford are going to be too strong for their visitors on Saturday and should secure the three points.  

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AFC Telford United v Kidderminster Harriers (National League North)

I backed Telford to get a result on Tuesday. They looked to have found their feet, beating Bradford Park Avenue and Darlington comfortably before holding a Curzon Ashton side that had found form again to a 0-0 draw. So of course, they went and lost 3-0 at home to a Southport side reeling from back-to-back defeats.  

In hindsight, it was a poor selection. Telford have won four matches this season – one on the opening day and the other three have come against sides in the bottom seven of the table. Since match day two, Telford have played 15 matches against sides 15^th or higher and picked up six points. At home, they have drawn three and lost four against the same opposition and have lost all three matches against the sides in the top six and all five overall.  

Their opposition on Saturday sit third in the league table. It’s also a side that gave West Ham United an almighty scare in the FA Cup last weekend, only being denied thanks to goals in added on time at the end of normal and extra time. Heart-wrenching. However, anybody believing that their FA Cup exploits might be a distraction to their league form only needs to look at the results after their Third Round victory against Reading – they won five of the next seven. They’ve also had the benefit of a full week without a fixture, a luxury not afforded to them since that game against Reading.  

Telford’s result against Southport evidenced the scale of the task Paul Carden has and that will likely become apparent again on Saturday.  

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Bath City v Dorking Wanderers (National League South) 

They say forwards win games and defences win titles but Dorking Wanderers are on a mission to disprove that theory.  

Marc White’s side sit top of the National League South after 25 games but have kept just five clean sheets all season. Their recent 10-game winning streak saw the Surrey outfit keep just three clean sheets and those came against a side that had ten men for 86 minutes, the lowest scorers in the division and a tight affair against fellow promotion rivals. That last clean sheet was of interest – Dorking have kept three of their five clean sheets against the three sides directly below them in the table and two in 21 against the rest.  

They take on Bath City at Twerton Park this weekend with Jerry Gill positive about his side and believing that results will come after winning just one of their last six. His side have been good for goals this season with 72% of their matches involving at least three goals, including 67% of their home matches. They have scored in 67% of home matches and conceded in 75%. Notably, their games against sides at the top of the division have been high scoring too – seven of their eight games against sides in the top seven have featured at least three goals.  

Dorking can’t keep clean sheets but are far and away the highest scorers in the league while Bath City have the second worst defence and score in two-thirds of their games. There should be a lot of goals in this one.  

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Billericay Town v Dulwich Hamlet (National League South)

Dulwich Hamlet’s form may be hit and miss at the moment but they are consistent with their matches containing goals. 

Their 2-1 victory away at Slough Town on Tuesday made it seven consecutive games in which both teams have scored and that run can be stretched to ten of their last 11 seeing both sides find the back of the net. It’s not a new trend either – only Dorking Wanderers and Slough Town can beat The Hamlet’s record of scoring and conceding in 71% of their matches.  

Generally, Billericay Town haven’t been cut from the same cloth. Jody Brown took the reigns on October 8^th but endured a difficult beginning – two victories was followed by his side scoring three goals in 11 matches and even going on a run of three 0-0’s in four matches. However, that has changed. The Essex outfit have scored in five of their last six matches and conceded in all six. Billericay need to start winning football matches if they are to avoid the drop and their results are suggesting a slightly more positive approach to games. They will hope Niko Muir can replace the goals scored by the now-departed Shaquille Coulthirst.  

The hosts need to win. The visitors are scoring and conceding with regularity. I fancy both sides to hit the back of the net.  

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Ebbsfleet United v Slough Town (National League South)

Once again, I’m selecting Ebbsfleet United to win a football match at home.  

The Kent outfit are clearly more comfortable playing on home patch and that has shown in recent games, responding to defeats against promotion rivals Dorking Wanderers, Maidstone United and Dartford on the road by beating Hampton and Richmond Borough 1-0 and play-off chasing St.Albans City 5-0 on Tuesday. Dennis Kutrieb’s side have won seven of their last nine home matches, only stopped by local rivals Maidstone United in a 3-2 loss and a surprise 0-0 draw against a Billericay Town side that had learnt to stop conceding goals around Christmas time.  

It’s hard to make a case for Slough Town slowing Ebbsfleet down. For starters, they have won just two of their 11 away matches this season, both coming during their sole positive run of form around October / November time. The Rebels did pick up one of those victories at Maidstone United but their form has been poor against the sides in the top half of the table this season – two victories from 15 matches, including a 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture. Slough are also mirroring their away form generally with two wins 11, including no win in their last six.  

I’ve got to side with the hosts here.  

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