The National League continues to be tight heading into the Christmas-New Year schedule, with none of the top 8 able to win on Saturday. Will anything change on Boxing Day?
Leyton Orient vs Dagenham & Redbridge @13:00
The O’s have now won three in a row in all competitions, the first time they have done so since August 2015. They remain 20th after Saturday’s win at Maidstone, but are six points clear of Chester in 21st (albeit The Blues have a game in hand). Orient also have good form this season against their opponents, having played them twice in the FA Cup, winning the replay 1-0 after a scoreless draw in the first tie. Dagenham are 6th, and had their run of four consecutive League wins ended by Eastleigh, making it two losses in a row in all competitions. The Daggers have also found wins hard to come by on the road, only winning three from 12 in the division.
Aldershot Town vs Woking @15:00
The Shots are now three without a win in the League, but it could have been even worse had a 94th minute equaliser not saved a point against Guiseley on Saturday. The host’s poor run of form could see them drop out of the playoffs, but their attack can give them hope with only two sides having scored more than their 38 in the League. Visitors Woking are also on bad run, and now sit down in 13th after Saturday’s loss to Barrow, with only one win from the last eight in the League. The Cards have only taken 10 points from an available 33 away this season, so win would be a turn up for the books.
Barrow vs Wrexham @15:00
Barrow may sit 19th, but are on a good run with Ady Pennock’s boys picking up four wins in the last six League matches, the two losses coming up against teams in the top 8. Unfortunately, for the hosts, the team in 2nd is coming to town with Barrow only having three home League wins from a possible 12. Wrexham got back to their clean sheets on Saturday with a 0-0 draw against 3rd placed Dover, perhaps no surprise with the division’s two tightest defences taking each other on. However, it is a story of missed opportunities, unable to take advantage of Macclesfield’s slip up as it is now two without a League win. Away form is a bit wobbly with five wins, two draws and five losses in the National League and goals have been hard to come by, with only the bottom four having scored fewer.
Boreham Wood vs Sutton Utd @15:00
Boreham Wood’s 0-0 draw with bottom of the table Solihull continued their undefeated League streak, which has now reached 12 matches. The host are 7th and have only conceded one goal in their last six National League games. Visitors Sutton are 4th and only sit three points off top spot, that despite back-to-back League losses, conceding seven. A big win could still take them to the summit.
Chester vs Guiseley @15:00
A basement battle as 21st placed Chester take on Guiseley who are 23rd. Chester’s 4-0 loss on Saturday (their second in three League games) against FC Halifax means they sit six points off Leyton Orient in 20th, albeit with a game in hand. Marcus Bignot has a real job on his hands, with only one win in the last eight in the League, that coming against former side Solihull, and only three home League wins. His side are also shipping goals with the 40 League goal mark hit on Saturday, with problems at the other end as only the bottom two have scored fewer. Guiseley aren’t much better off, despite their draw with Aldershot ending a run of four consecutive League losses. They could be even better off, but for a 94th minute equaliser, and those would have been a valuable three points with The Lions nine from safety (but with two games in hand on Leyton Orient in 20th). Much like the hosts, Guiseley suffer with problems at both ends of the pitch – no team has scored fewer than their 20 National League goals with only bottom Solihull conceding more than their 41. The visitors have also only won once away in the League, with six points taken from an available 33.
Dover Athletic vs Maidstone Utd @15:00
A Christmas Kent derby sees 3rd against 12th. Dover missed out on the chance to go top with a 0-0 draw against Wrexham, no surprise for a team with the tightest defence in the League (17 conceded from 25), but another winless game was also not a shock, with only one victory in the last six League games. Visitors Maidstone are now five without a win in the division after Saturday’s home loss to Leyton Orient, and it is now four without scoring a League goal. However, away is where The Stones have performed better this season, picking up 19 points from a possible 33.
Eastleigh vs Torquay Utd @15:00
Andy Hessenthaler got off to a dream start as Eastleigh First Team Manager, the 2-1 away win against Dagenham & Redbridge ending a run of seven without a League victory. Home form will need to improve, though, with only three wins from a possible 12 in the League. 22nd Torquay are three without a National League win after winning the two previous to that, scoring only one goal. Gary Owers side will certainly be well rested, as it will be 10 days since their last match, and the boss will hope the break can rejuvenate their away form with only eight points taken from a possible 36. Owers may also have been working on goalscoring, with only the bottom two having scored fewer League goals.
Ebbsfleet Utd vs Bromley @15:00
Another Kent derby sees Ebbsfleet looking to keep up a run of three undefeated in the League, in which they have conceded only one and scored eight – things could have been even better had Danny Rowe not notched a late equaliser on Saturday. Home form has been strong with only two losses in the League, but The Fleet come up against a side good away from home with only three losses from 12 in the division. Three National League draws in a row in a run of four without a League win means that The Ravens still sit outside the playoffs in 8th. The problem certainly hasn’t been going forward with Bromley being the League’s top scorers with 40, but keeping the opposition out at the other end has been difficult of late.
Gateshead vs Hartlepool Utd @15:00
Gateshead are 16th, three without a League win, but have had a spell away from the competition with no game since 12 December. The International Stadium is a position of strength with only 3 League losses from 11. Hartlepool arrive looking for new owners and with four consecutive League losses, although it looked for a time on Saturday that they could have pulled out a win, before conceding two in the second half. The Monkey Hangers have only scored two in the last four in the division, conceding 11.
Macclesfield Town vs FC Halifax Town @15:00
Macclesfield spend Christmas Day top, despite failing to beat Bromley. That result extended the team’s undefeated League streak to seven, but their away form is much stronger than at the Moss Rose where The Macc have won five from 12 in the League. Things are looking up for visitors Halifax who have two League wins on the bounce, with clean sheets in both. They will be hoping to improve on their three away League wins on Boxing Day.
Maidenhead Utd vs Solihull Moors @15:00
The hosts are 11th after picking up their first League win in eight on Saturday, coming from behind to beat Hartlepool. Visitors Solihull may be bottom, 10 points from safety, but they have only lost twice in their last six in the League, with an impressive point against in form Boreham Wood. The fact that The Moors have only scored one in their last three National League games is endemic of a League season where only Guiseley have scored fewer, with no team conceding more, although one goal conceded in the last three has stemmed the tide.
Tranmere Rovers vs AFC Fylde @15:00
Tranmere are on the march. Three League wins in a row, scoring 10 and conceding only one, sees them sitting two points off the playoffs, with 23 points from a possible 36 at home. Their position is based on a solid defence with only 19 conceded in 24 League games. Visitors Fylde are still playing catch up with the rest of the division, sitting 17th, but could be as high as 8th if they win their games in hand. A late Danny Rowe equaliser on Saturday stopped a poor home record from looking worse, while The Coasters have had more luck away in the League with four wins and three draws from 12.
