It’s the last round of fixtures before Christmas in the National League, will they be crackers or turkeys?

AFC Fylde vs Ebbsfleet Utd @15:00

Hosts Fylde are 17th, but with two to three games in hand on most sides in the National League, which could see them 9th or even higher.  They have only won three home matches in the League from a possible nine, however, and couldn’t match their stellar FA Cup run in the Trophy, losing to Chester on penalties.  Visitors Ebbsfleet are 10th, having only won two of 11 League away games, but will be buoyed by beating Eastleigh in the Trophy.

Bromley vs Macclesfield Town @15:00

No side has scored more than hosts Bromley, who have scored 39 from their 24 League matches.  Despite that, The Ravens find themselves down in 8th, three without a win in the League, conceding eight in those matches, but predictably scoring well with six.  League leaders Macclesfield Town make the trip to Hayes Lane on a run of six without defeat in the League, conceding only five in that time.  They have taken a massive 25 points of a possible 36 away, but what effect will there be of their FA Trophy match at FC Halifax being postponed twice in the last week?

Dagenham & Redbridge vs Eastleigh @15:00

Dagenham play at home at 3pm on a Saturday for the first time since 18 November and come into the game with four League wins on the bounce, keeping three consecutive clean sheets.  The Daggers have a great home record, taking 25 of the 33 points on offer and are lethal attacking the opposition goal, with only Bromley scoring more than the Daggers 38 League goals.  However, despite the great League form, humiliation by Southern Premier Hereford in Sunday’s FA Trophy game will have been in the mind of fans this week.  Perhaps there is a chance to get back on track as 18th placed Eastleigh visit, on a run of seven without a League win, conceding 17.  The Spitfires only have two away League wins and have been subject to a management reshuffle this week with Richard Hill going upstairs to become Director of Football, while his Assistant Andy Hessenthaler takes charge of the first team.

FC Halifax Town vs Chester @15:00

Halifax are down in 16th, but will be buoyed by their 1-0 win against Aldershot in the League which broke a run of 11 without a National League win.  Home form is nothing to write home about with four wins, four draws and four losses in the division, but will this game even go ahead with the home FA Trophy tie against Macclesfield twice postponed in the last week? Chester will hope it does with them sitting 21st, three points off Leyton Orient and safety with a game in hand on The O’s.  Victory against Solihull broke a run of six without a win in the League, and they followed that up by beating Fylde on penalties in the Trophy, but boss Marcus Bignot will be concerned about improving on a paltry one League win away and only 22 goals scored in their 23 League games this season.

Guiseley vs Aldershot Town @15:00

Guiseley are in trouble, sitting 23rd with four League losses in a row, three of those without scoring.  They have won only two at Nethermoor Park in the League this season, and the for and against column looks grim, having scored a division low 19 in 22, with only two teams conceding more than their 40.  Their was no respite in the Trophy, losing out in a trip to Gateshead on Wednesday, but fans can have hope in the fact that The Lions have games in hand of those around them.  Visitors Aldershot will hope to get back on track, their run having been cooled by going winless in two in the League, not scoring in either.  The Shots followed that up with a 4-0 humiliation away at East Thurrock in the Trophy, but still find themselves 6th and will fancy themselves against their lowly opponents.

Hartlepool Utd vs Maidenhead Utd @15:00

Who would be a Hartlepool fan?  The club is now up for sale following a tumultuous last 12 months, and The Monkey Hangers sit 14th having lost three League games on the bounce, scoring only one and conceding nine.  They have 15 points from a possible 36 at home, and were dumped out of the FA Trophy at Northern Premier League Workington on Saturday.  Maidenhead are only a place above the hosts, though, with the two teams level on points and The Magpies seven without a League win, scoreless in the last two.  They did, however, beat Woking in the Trophy.

Maidstone Utd vs Leyton Orient @15:00

The Stones have been woeful in the League of late, winless in four, without a goal in the last three of those.  They have only won three at home in the League, despite the perceived advantage of their artificial pitch, but are still 11th and banged in the goals in a 4-0 defeat of Torquay in the Trophy on Saturday.  Orient have now won back-to-back games for the first time since 2 September, as they followed up a 4-1 thumping of Sutton Utd by squeezing past Haringey Borough of the Isthmian North 2-1 on Saturday.  That win on the artificial turf of Coles Park may have given The O’s some confidence on the surface having lost 2-0 at Sutton and 6-1 at Bromley.  Despite Justin Edinburgh beginning a turnaround for the visitors, the record still stands at only two away League wins, with only bottom of the table Solihull (42) having conceded more than Orient’s 41 League goals.

Solihull Moors vs Boreham Wood @15:00

Speaking of The Moors, the hosts have only two League wins at home and, in addition to their poor defensive record, only Guiseley have scored fewer than their 21 in 24 National League games.  However, things have picked up recently, as Solihull did beat Leyton Orient two League games ago and shocked Tranmere in their rescheduled FA Trophy match on Monday.  Visitors Boreham Wood are in great form, with three League wins on the bounce, conceding only one and scoring seven.  They are 11 undefeated in the division, but it took a replay and penalties to beat National League South Dartford in the Trophy.

Sutton Utd vs Tranmere Rovers @15:00

2nd placed Sutton could go top on Saturday, and are looking to bounce back from their 4-1 loss to Orient which knocked them off the lead.  The Ambers have had a good run of League fixtures lately but, despite that, still lost to Orient and Torquay.  Visitors Tranmere will be a test having won the last two in the League without conceding, scoring seven.  They sit 9th after a difficult start to the season, conceding only 18 in 23 League matches, but have only won two away in the division.

Woking vs Barrow @15:00

Thinks have gone sour for The Cards recently, with one win in the last six in the League seeing them down in 12th.  They have strong home form, taking 23 points from a possible 33, but couldn’t match their FA Cup run in the Trophy, losing to Maidenhead.  Barrow are 19th, with three wins and three losses in the last six National League games.  Within that, though, the three loses came against sides in the top half, with The Bluebirds going scoreless.  Away form is also a problem with only 11 points taken of a possible 36.

Wrexham vs Dover Athletic @15:00

Last, but by no means least, the game of the weekend sees 3rd take on 4th, with both sides able to take top spot.  Wrexham have four wins from their last six League matches, but had a stinker losing 4-1 to top of the table Macclesfield last time out and followed that up by exiting the FA Trophy at the hands of National League North Harrogate.  The Dragons have also lost only once at home in the division, and this will be a battle of the two stingiest defences in the division with Wrexham’s 18 conceded only bettered by Dover’s 17.  Dover have scored 10 more League goals than their opponents and illustrated their goalscoring ability by beat Hartlepool 4-0.  However, one win from the last five in the National League tells the story of a side who blew a chance of leading coming into Christmas.