We see a return to League action this weekend with six of the top seven sides in the Vanarama National League facing each other, starting with Friday nights game at Blundell Park in front of the BT Sport cameras.
GRIMSBY TOWN VS. CHELTENHAM TOWN – Friday 30th October
Paul Hurst’s side will go into this game looking to extend the run that has seen his side go unbeaten since August. However, victory for Gary Johnson’s second placed Robins will see them top the league table heading into the Saturday’s fixtures. The Robins have drawn three of their last four games and the draw is 29/10 with Betfair, while they offer Cheltenham at 9/2.
Grimsby have no fresh injury worries and will welcome Josh Gowling and Gregor Robertson after they both recovered from injuries. Andy Monkhouse is a major doubt with a shoulder injury but he has been training over the last couple of days. Betfair have them 8/11 to win and leading Town scorers Padraig Amond and Omar Bogle can be back at 11/8 with Bet365 to score anytime.
Vanarama National League Games Saturday 31st October 2015
FOREST GREEN ROVERS VS. CHESTER
Top of the table Forest Green welcome mid table side Chester to The New Lawn stadium this weekend, just one month after they last faced each other in the division. That tie finished with Forest Green Rover’s being victorious 2-1, and the bookies clearly feel that this fixture won’t be any different, with Forest Green best priced at 19/20 with both Coral and Hills.
However, Rovers boss Ady Pennock could be forced to play defender Charlie Clough as a makeshift striker on Saturday as his side will be without injured Delano Sam-Yorke and Kurtis Guthrie is suspended, while leading scorer Aaron O’Connor has missed the last two matches and there are concerns over Jon Parkin. Having started this season with a record-breaking nine straight wins, Rovers have only won two of their nine games that have followed that run, the draw is 13/5 with 888sport.
Chester don’t normally have an issue in finding the back of the net, having only failed to convert their chances on three occasions so far this term and you can get 3/1 at William Hill that they return with a all three points.
TRANMERE ROVERS VS. DOVER ATHLETIC
Another top of the table clash seeing third face fifth takes place as Prenton Park plays host this weekend to Tranmere Rovers against Dover Athletic.
Forward Ben Tomlinson has joined Tranmere from last seasons champions Barnet and will be available to make his debut. Andy Mangan and Gary Taylor-Fletcher could both make a return to the side, but Adam Dawson and Adam Mekki remain absent through injury and Goalkeeper Scott Davies and midfielder Jay Harris both sit out through suspension.
Tranmere Rovers have only one win in their last six matches but are still the bookies favourites in this tie at 21/20 with Boylesports, whilst Dover Athletic are certainly in form, winning seven of their last eight games and can be backed at 11/4 on Bet365.com.
Although Dover Athletic are the in-form side heading into this clash, Tranmere Rover’s quality should not be ignored, and this game has the potential to be an exciting and thrilling encounter for the fans. Its hard to see anything separating these two sides and the match to finish as a draw can be backed at 12/5 with Coral.
SOUTHPORT VS. ALDERSHOT TOWN
Third from bottom Southport entertain mid table Aldershot Town as both teams return to National League action this weekend. Paul Carden’s Sandgrounders are striving to get out of the bottom four and will be hoping to build on their victory at Kidderminster two weeks ago and are best priced 2/1 at William Hill to do so.
Both of these sides were battling in the bottom end of the table last season, but early season form suggests that Aldershot supporters may be in an improvement on last term if they can maintain their early start. Coral have them at 29/20 to make it three away wins in a row, while you can back the draw at 13/5 with Bet365.
Aldershot are the more in-form side going into this fixture having won five of their opening nine away matches, whilst Southport have only managed one paltry win on home soil thus far.
WREXHAM VS. BARROW
Newly promoted Barrow make a tricky trip to Wrexham this coming Saturday, and will be hoping that their current top scorer Andy Cook can continue his fine start to the current campaign. Cook has 10 league goals to his name so far but the problem for Bluebirds has been at the other end, conceding 30 Vanarama goals thus far, 21 of them on the road.
Wrexham will be aware that a win this weekend will help keep them up with the early pacesetters in their battle to reach the promotion places, Coral have them up as 7/10 favourites.
Wrexham are averaging over two goals a game, whilst Barrow are leaking an average of two goals per game, and Wrexham can be backed to score two or more goals on Saturday at 6/10 with Coral.
Barrow have never beaten Wrexham away from home in their history, and current form suggests this isn’t going to change on this occasion either with the online bookies seeing it the same way, and you can get 4/1 on Barrow at a number to the top firms.
LINCOLN CITY VS. BROMLEY
An exciting fixture lies in prospect in the National League this weekend, as fifth placed Bromley travel to sixth placed Lincoln City, both sides are in fine form so far during this campaign, with over 60 goals scored between them so far.
Both sides will be relying on their top goal scorers heading into this game, with Lincoln City’s Matthew Rhead and Bromley’s Moses Ademola looking to continue their fine individual start’s to the season. Both teams to score look’s a great bet for this match, and this can be backed at 4/6 with Bet365.
Lincoln City boss Chris Moyses gave his players two days off this week as part of the preparation for this game in a bid to stop any complacency creeping into his team, who are still unbeaten at home this season and Betfred offer 4/5 that they continue that run, while Bromley are 10/3 with the same bookie, the draw is on offer at is 14/5 at Ladbrokes.
EASTLEIGH VS. HALIFAX TOWN
Eastleigh welcome second from bottom Halifax Town in the National League this coming weekend.
Eastleigh come up against a side that have failed to keep a single clean sheet thus far this season, with Halifax Town conceding a staggering 45 goals. Eastleigh’s defensive record is better in terms of goals shipped, but they themselves have only managed to keep three shut outs so far this term.
Given the current form of both sides, with Eastleigh unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions, and Halifax Town with only one win in their last five, in all competitions, its clear to see why the bookies have gone with Eastleigh to win the match, who can be backed at 4/7 with Coral.
BOREHAM WOOD VS. GATESHEAD
Hertfordshire side Boreham Wood welcome high flying Gateshead to Meadow Park this weekend, with the Heed looking to make it back to back win’s against their opponents this season.
These two sides last met in August of this year, with Gateshead the victors, but the current in form team on this occasion is Boreham Wood, with one defeat in their last five league games and they can be backed at 7/5 with Coral.
Gateshead on the other hand has not registered a victory in their last six games including their FA Cup exit at the hands of National League North club Worcester City, and will be without a number of first-team players, including winger Josh Gillies, Jimmy Phillips (head), River Allen (Achilles) and Rob Ramshaw (toe), Ladbrokes offer 21/10 that manager Malcolm Crosby can see his side win all three points with the draw 5/2 at Bet365.
BRAINTREE TOWN VS. MACCLESFIELD TOWN
The Amlin Stadium in Essex hosts a mid-table clash in the form of Braintree Town and Macclesfield Town on Saturday afternoon.
Braintree have struggled for goals at home this season, but also boast a mean defence with keeping eight clean sheets both home and away. Macclesfield Town on the other hand have failed to score on six occasions, and have kept six clean sheets this term. This game looks to be a fairly tight affair on paper, with very little to separate the two sides and a draw can be found at 12/5 with Bet365. Bookmakers William Hill have a Braintree win at 17/10 while Macclesfield Town are the same odds with Betfred.
ALTRINCHAM VS. TORQUAY UNITED
Struggling Torquay United travel to Altrincham in the National League this Saturday looking for only their fourth win of the season. In terms of a match result, this is a tie that really could go either way, given both sides start to the current season.
Goals should be plentiful in this fixture, with both sides defence being fragile to say the least. Altrincham have conceded 30 goals thus far this campaign and Torquay have leaked a staggering 37 goals. Both teams to score can be found at 4/6 with Bet365 and over 2.5 match goals can also be backed at 4/5 with with the same bookmaker.
GUISELEY VS. WELLING UNITED
West Yorkshire see’s two struggling sides come up against each other this weekend in the form of Guiseley and Welling United, both sides will be seeking to pull further clear of the drop zone.
Welling beat 1-0 Guiseley on the opening day of the season and 11/5 at Betfred to take all the points again this weekend. Gavin Rothery is set to return to the Guiseley side following his suspension but injuries to Liam Dickinson, Oli Johnson and Wayne Brooksby could see them miss out with. Back-to-back league draws and without a win in 5 league games Guiseley are 13/10 at Ladbrokes.
KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS VS. WOKING
Aggborough play’s host to bottom place Kidderminster Harriers against Woking, with the home side keen to secure their first win of the current campaign and are 12/5 at Betfred to do so.
Kidderminster have endured a baron run of form in front of goal this season in front of their home fans, and have failed to secure a victory so far this term, so the loan signing of former Harrier, Matthew Barnes-Homer will be welcomed news to the fans, Barnes-Homer hit 37 goals in 91 starts for the Worcestershire club.
Woking on the other hand are sitting mid table, and will be keen to secure their eighth win of the current campaign. Despite finding themselves with only one victory in their last eight matches they are still favourites here and can be back 11/10 with the best online bookmakers.
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