GW21: Non-League Preview
Credit: CDK Photos
Non-League Breakdown
It’s FA Cup Third Round week! With everyone in the top two tiers riddled with FA Cup fever and only ten fixtures across League One & Two going ahead (before the weather has even had it’s say) it’s slim pickings here at Tipple for games to choose this week. As usual in these situations, we turn to good old non-league for the answer!
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With a lot of the games in League One & Two being tightly contested, you might feel the urge to look further down the pyramid for your picks in the hopes of finding a result that should be a banker that the rest of your mates have missed. The teams down in the fifth and sixth tiers of English football are bound to be less familiar to most. So, while I don’t claim to be an expert, I’ve put together a quick guide to help you navigate the week ahead and hopefully give you the edge over your pals and send you top of the league.
Mother Nature had her way with most of Leagues One & Two last weekend, as well as a decent chunk of the National League on the Saturday too, so there’s no guarantee any of these games even go ahead at this rate. Still, the 2 points for a postponement beats the -3 you might end up with if you back the wrong side!
Good luck this week, get ready to claim those bragging rights!
National League
Sutton United vs York City
The first game on our list and the first of two non-league games I’ve gone for in my six picks for the week. Sutton have lost 4 from their last 5 in all competitions and have slipped back into the relegation zone. York are 3 points from top with 2 games in hand and are 2nd in the away standings, still yet to lose on the road. York haven’t lost in any capacity since Barnsley in the FA Cup in November, and haven’t lost to a fellow non-league side since October the 1st. All signs point to an away win, and that’s what I’ve gone for, it feels like the sort of fixture that’s primed to end up in a massive shock result. It can’t be this simple, can it?
Braintree Town vs Boston United
This one should be a bit tighter as 18th placed Boston travel to Braintree in 19th. Neither are in fine form, with Braintree only winning once in their last 5 league outings and Boston just once in 10. If there’s any solace for Boston fans, 17 of their 25 points in the league his year have come on the road. When they leave Lincolnshire they play like a solid mid-table side, it’d be nice if they showed up in front of the home faithful once in a while. This one will be close, and for that reason I’m not touching it! If you do, and you get it right, you deserve all the points you get! If you had to push me, I’d settle for a draw.
National League North
Curzon Ashton vs Bedford Town
“North” is stretching it here as Bedford have to make a 330 mile round trip to face off against Curzon Ashton. Again, neither are flying as both have 1 win from their last 5 in all competitions. Bedford have managed 2 draws in that time at least, whereas their hosts have lost the remaining 4, so they’re in marginally better shape. Curzon are just 2 points outside of the play-offs in 9th while Bedford sit in 18th. Another game I’ve not picked personally, but I’d back the home side to pick up a win and get their play-off run back on track.
Darlington vs Radcliffe Borough
Finally, two teams that seem to know how to win football matches! 7th placed Darlington welcome 5th placed Radcliffe for a crucial battle in the play-off race with both sides in decent form. Darlo have won 2 and drawn 1 from their last 5 and are clinging on to the last play-off place, while their opponents have 3 wins and a draw from 5 and have flown up the table. Darlington haven’t played since the 30th of December but Radcliffe played at Macclesfield in midweek as teams scrabble to make up their games in hand. Either Darlo come into it as favourites because they’re well-rested or Radcliffe have an edge as they’re match fit, whichever way you spin it it should be a great game. I’m not brave enough to stick this on my slip, but I think the home side will edge it with their extra rest between matches.
King’s Lynn Town vs Alfreton Town
Another one down the bottom end of the table, and one close to home for me. Literally, in this case, as Alfreton are my most local team! Managed by one of my Derby heroes in Jake Buxton, I’d love to tell you they were flying up the table and smashing teams every week. Sadly, they aren’t. 2 losses, 2 draws and a win from their last 5 league games isn’t horrible, but it hasn’t been enough to see them out of the relegation zone as of late. King’s Lynn haven’t won in 6 and are hovering just above relegation themselves in 17th with the 4th worst home record in the division. Thrilling stuff as the 3rd worst away side roll into town! Too close to risk sticking it in my Tipple picks as I continue my charge to the title, but I have to back my boys - come on Ofton! Away win!
Scarborough Athletic vs Chester
The play-off race is hotting up, and these two will both want to have a say in it in the long run! Scarborough are in 6th and in there as it stands, but Chester are only 4 points behind them all the way down in 13th. Teams are tightly packed up and down the league, and with some teams having played as many as 5 games more than others, it could still shake out in a million different ways. Both will be desperate for a win here, the home side have 1 win in 5 while the visitors boast 2 wins in the same period. Neither are miles better than the other, and with all the pressure from both ends I think it come out as a draw. Needless to say, they aren’t going on my picks either!
National League South
Chesham United vs AFC Totton
13th placed Chesham host Totton in 11th at The Meadow in what is sure to be a game of football. Chesham don’t score or concede many, Totton score a bit more and concede absolutely loads. I wish I had any inkling as to which way this will go but I don’t, and I’m definitely avoiding it. If you put a gun to my head and demanded to know who I thought would win in Chesham United vs AFC Totton, as you very well might, I’d edge it to the home side.
Dover Athletic vs Hemel Hempstead
The second of my two non-league picks for this week is in this game! And I’ll let you in on a secret, it’s another away win. Hemel Hempstead sit in 7th, 11 points clear of their hosts down in 15th. Only one team have conceded more goals at home than Dover this year and they’ve lost their last 4 matches in all competitions. The visitors have the equal-best defence in the league and travel to Dover off the back of 2 solid wins to end a patch of tricky form. I’m backing the boys from Hertfordshire to do the business here, with the only caveat being the weather could be absolutely biblical in Dover come Saturday.
Enfield Town vs Tonbridge Angels
A scrap at the bottom end of the table here, as second-bottom Enfield welcome Tonbridge, who sit 3 points above relegation in 17th. Tonbridge have a win and 2 draws from their last 5 whereas Enfield could only manage 2 draws in the same period. 18 of Tonbridge’s 27 points this year have come away from home, leaving them 7th in the away standings. I think this run will continue with another away win at a dismal Enfield side, but I haven’t found room for this game in my picks.
Farnborough vs Chelmsford City
Last up we have Chelmsford making the trip over the top of London to the west to face Farnborough. The hosts are in 20th, a point above relegation and 8 points and 6 places behind visitors Chelmsford. Chelmsford can’t seem to draw games, it’s all or nothing for them with 10 wins, 10 losses and just 3 stalemates in the league this year. They’re a solid away side and I back them to turn their rough form around with a win away here. Farnborough have the leakiest defence in the division, and it doesn’t bode well here.
If you’ve decided to lean into the madness of non-league this week, I salute you! I hope this guide has given you a rough idea as to who might be the favourites in each game and if any of the sides are worth backing.
Good luck! Unless you’ve backed against my picks, of course!