The National League is back this weekend, with all 24 teams in action.  It’s still tight from top to bottom, with any one of four possibly ending the day top of the pile…

Barrow vs Hartlepool Utd @15:00

Barrow are sitting in a precarious position, a solitary point above the relegation zone following a damaging 3-1 loss away to Torquay on Saturday, the latest bad result in a run of five without a League win.  Home form has been a problem, with the Holker Street side only winning three League games.  Hartlepool are only three points above the hosts, having played a game more.  Distractions aplenty off he field have perhaps taken attention away from the fact that it is now 11 without a win in all competitions, with only three draws in that time.  The Pools have had two weeks to prepare for this one, and will hope to improve on a record of only four away League wins, but can be buoyed by winning the reverse 1-0 in October.

Bromley vs Maidstone Utd @15:00

It is now two League wins on the bounce for Bromley, scoring seven and conceding none.  In fact, 12 points have been picked up from the last 18 available for the 7th placed Ravens.  The hosts score for fun, with 53 in 31 League games, Louis Dennis scoring 14, Joshua Rees 11.  It did take a replay to dispatch Workington in the FA Trophy, but Bromley saw off the opposition in some style on Tuesday night.  Maidstone are 16th, eight points above the drop zone and will be hoping to avenge a 2-0 Gallagher Stadium defeat to the hosts. The fact that they lost that game is no surprise for a side who have double the number of away League wins than at home (six against three).  The Stones have had four League losses in a row, but may be refreshed by playing different opposition, having played Gateshead three times in a row, losing their FA Trophy replay on Tuesday.

Dagenham & Redbridge vs Aldershot Town @17:30

No doubt off the field issues are having a disrupting influence on Dagger’s promotion ambitions, belt tightening seemingly connected to a number of departures this week, including that of forward Morgan Ferrier to Boreham Wood. It is three National League losses in a row for the hosts and they sit 10th, five points off the playoffs.  Even Dagenham’s imperious home record has taken a hit – they have lost their last two home League games to sour a previous run of won nine, drawn two, lost three. Aldershot are 3rd, a point off top spot with a game in hand on leaders Wrexham.  The Shots are undefeated in seven in all competitions, and arrive off the back of a two week rest.  They have won eight away League games, drawing five and losing only three and boast a record of scoring 49 in 31 League games.  A repeat of October’s 1-1 league draw would be a good result for the hosts.

Dover Athletic vs Sutton Utd @15:00

Back to back League wins have ended a poor recent run for Dover, and The Whites are 6th.  Last weekend saw an extraordinary game against Leyton Orient, coming back from 3-0 down to level 3-3, before David Mooney saw The Os through. The hosts score well, but recent defensive woes have been a little against character for a team who have conceded only 26 in 31 League games, only table toppers Wrexham have a better record. Sutton are 5th, four points off top with a two games in hand.  The visitors also have consecutive League wins, but will want to get back on track after losing to National League North Brackley in the FA Trophy.  The two sides couldn’t been separated back in October, but Sutton will fancy their chances with a good away League record of winning eight and drawing three from 15.

Eastleigh vs Boreham Wood @15:00

The Spitfires are undefeated since Andy Hessenthaler stepped up to take charge of the 1st team – now an eight game run.  The hosts are 11th and would be even better off had they not drawn half of their home League games, but only three losses is nothing to be sniffed at.  Goals galore at both ends of the pitch see 51 League goals scored, 50 conceded. Boreham Wood are 8th, only outside the playoffs on goal difference and come into this fixture off the back of a two week break.  They have not been their imperious selves of late, but have taken 11 points from the last six matches and have only lost two League games on the road, with six wins and eight draws.  Wood won the reverse earlier this season.

Ebbsfleet Utd vs Solihull Moors @15:00

Ebbsfleet are on a poor recent run, picking up only four points from the last 18 available, and only one win in the last nine in all competitions, including being dumped out of the FA Trophy by Warrington Town of the Northern Premier League.  It is no wonder, then, that Daryl McMahon wrote off The Fleet’s playoff hopes a couple of weeks back.  Solihull, conversely, arrive in great form, five undefeated in the League, with four wins. The Moors are just a point off Barrow in 20th, albeit having played a game more, and boast 11 goals in their last five in the division, conceding only three – a massive improvement on a previous record of 21 scored, 43 conceded in 26. The visitors have been poor on the road this season, but have won two and drawn one of their last three National League away games, doubling their previous away points tally from the previous 13.  Ebbsfleet fans will be hoping for a repeat of their 3-1 victory at Solihull in October.

Gateshead vs AFC Fylde @15:00

Gateshead have quietly built up a head of steam, now eight undefeated in all competitions, into the quarter finals of the FA Trophy and only one defeat in the last nine League games – six draws stopping the record from being even better.  Interestingly, the hosts are the only team in the bottom half of the table with a positive goal difference.  Fylde were on fire a couple of weeks back, but no League wins in two has slowed their progress. Despite this they are only a point off the playoffs, having played a game more than 7th placed Bromley.  Fylde are the League’s top scorers with 56 in 32 League games, 16 of those coming from Danny Rowe (all from open play), so the odds are stacked against a repeat of the 0-0 draw in the reverse.

Leyton Orient vs Tranmere Rovers @15:00

A hair raising victory against Dover in the FA Trophy last weekend was a microcosm of The O’s season, going 3-0 up then conceding three in no time – the only difference is the fact that Steve Davis’ Orient would probably have lost such a game.  Orient are more resilient under Justin Edinburgh, but have been inconsistent of late – two wins, two draws and two losses from the last six League games in an admittedly difficult run of fixtures.  The hosts are still looking over their shoulders, only five clear of the relegation zone, a cushion made bigger by victory at Halifax. Tranmere will be hoping to do the double over The O’s and go top at the same time.  Rovers are two points off top in 4th and are on a run of five undefeated in the League, three of those wins.  In fact, it is only one loss in the last 12 in the division – a run based on good attack and defence, the visitors having the best goal difference in the division, scoring 51 and conceding only 30 in 32 games.  However, Tranmere have struggled on the road with only four League wins.  Goal scorers galore in this game – Orient’s Macauley Bonne has scored 15 in the League, Tranmere’s Andy Cook and James Norwood both netting 13 times.

Macclesfield Town vs Guiseley @15:00

The Macc were deposed as League leaders last weekend, having been out of action.  They are, however, on the same points as Wrexham in 1st, but with a game in hand.  It is three without a League win, a thrashing by Fylde bookended by draws with lowly Solihull and Torquay. but the hosts have only lost three home League games.  A repeat of October’s 2-1 victory would suffice, but Guiseley are desperate for more, sitting bottom of the pile, nine off safety, in effect 10 taking into account a mountain of goal difference to overcome.  The Lions have been more like pussycats of late, four League losses in a row, only one point from the last six games and they have taken only nine away League points from an available 48.  The visitors also have the worst goal difference in the division, scoring a joint League low 27 and conceding a division high 56 in 30.

Maidenhead Utd vs Torquay Utd @15:00

Maidenhead lost to National League North Stockport in their FA Trophy replay on Tuesday, and were forced into playing extra time as well, so who knows what state the team will be in.  A win against Chester in their last League game ended a run of a solitary point from four games, and The Magpies sit 13th, the highest ranked side with negative goal difference. Torquay won at home to Barrow last weekend, lifting them off bottom, seven from safety, but having played two matches more than last weekend’s opponents.  The Gulls have only won twice away from home in the League, but can look to a 4-0 win against the same opposition in October.

Woking vs Chester @15:00

– although they have picked up one win and two draws in the last four. Woking won the reverse 2-0 in October.

Wrexham vs FC Halifax Town @15:00

The Dragons are top of the pile, undefeated in eight.  They are imperious at The Racecourse, with eight wins and seven draws from 16 League games.  Although they don’t score at an incredible rate, they have improved of late and the hosts have conceded a League low 24. Halifax are struggling.  If it’s not postponements, it’s poor form when the games get the go ahead, going six without a League win, picking up only two points. The Shaymen are only four points above the drop zone with only three away League wins.  Neil Young has got his work cut out for him and would probably take a repeat of the 0-0 in the reverse.