Weekend > Feb 18th

[StevieDay1983]

@addpea,  @amtopm, @sammydubs, @Tanktop, @allthethings, @the bastardian, @GazBlades, @bromsgrovegreen, @Woodgate, @Carl Iles, @dawwe92, @Kenton Schweppes, @TastesLikeTuna, @atish29, @sammummery, @MuineBheag, @Bronxie and @misky. what are we all thinking this weekend lads. Feel free to head over into the UK Football section and give your thoughts on the non-league representation in the FA Cup this weekend as well. Always keen to get educated opinions! 

[amtopm]

Ebbsfleet vs Hungryford Town Btts @ 1.80 B365

Both teams have won their last 4 games 
Home team has not conceded in last 4.
Away team conceded 1 in last 4.
This could be a thriller or a stinker. The bookies aren't so sure either, but I believe if there is any team to break another one's Clean Sheet streak then its mostly likely these two really hot teams .  

[sammydubs]

Few thoughts for this weekend....

My team Merstham welcome Harlow with a bad away record this season. Merstham haven't been the most consistent and the team has been rotated a lot, however I've said before that they are a good quick team who score goals, especially at home in the league. 

A lot of league places cover Merstham and Harlow but Merstham have 5 more games to play. Their league position is misleading and on the back of 2 strong league away wins and a good home record vs a bad away record I think 2.25 is a good price for Merstham

Merstham win @ 2.25 Bet365

Next tip is for Barrow to put away a poor Torquay side. Having watched Torquay many times when they are a league team it pains me to see them struggle so much now. Their squad is weak and this is reflected in their continued season after season battle to avoid relegation. Now having said that they have a habit of actually performing quite well against the better teams this season, however I struggle to see them coming away with a result from a Barrow side who are full of confidence. They did play mid week (Beat Macclesfield who drew with Torquay last weekend) but reading their fans forum they seem in a very buoyant mood to put away a Torquay team who will be battling relegation come end of season

Barrow win @ 1.60 Bet365

Burgess Hill have a good home record vs Met Police with a bad away record. Just 2 places between them in the table but Met Police have played 4 more games. I have seen Burgess Hill play this season they look solid and well organised team and know what they are looking to achieve. Unbeaten in 5 and although they had a disappointing draw last week I still fancy them to beat Met Police. I would price them at about 1.70-1.90 so no massive value but still a good one to add to your doubles or trebles. 

Burgess Hill to win @ 1.75 Bet365

Leatherhead are struggling, they haven't won all year!! Jimmy looks like he has lost the dressing room and some of the individual displays have been awful. They aren't playing as a team. I saw them last year at Merstham, they looking very average. Merstham played awful and it finished 1-1. I don't know much about Lowestoft other than their home record is just about Ok, however I am happy to take on Leatherhead away from home on better than even money.

Lowestoft win @ 2.10 Bet365

Good luck!

Sam

 

 

Edited February 17, 2017 by sammydubs

[StevieDay1983]

As always, I'm going to have to back my wife's hometown club Merthyr Town. They are ranked at 2.80 away against Slough so I am tempted by the draw no bet but still fancy backing them for the narrow 1-0 or 2-1 win. Interested to hear what @addpea thinks of that!

[Darran]

Eastleigh v Tranmere

I am rather surprised that Eastleigh have struggled so much since Martin Allen took over as manager, but then I was surprised they have been selling a few of their best players. On the other side of things the players who Allen has brought in haven’t been up to the standard of the players who left. They have only won one league game since Allen took over and they aren’t going to get anywhere near the play-offs. They suffered another home defeat to Braintree in the week as well. I can’t help but feel Tranmere’s title chances went when Bromley scored a late equalizer last Saturday, but they are still going to give it a go I am sure and they are certainly worthy of their place in the top 4. Eastleigh look there for the taking at the moment and Marathon’s 29/20 about an away win looks a good price.

 

Boreham Wood v York

Boreham Wood won’t allow opposing teams to film matches at Meadow Park, but given there have only been 21 goals in their home league matches, I don’t think people have been missing out on much. The home side are also currently bottom in the last 10 form table with just one win aganst Torquay in that spell. As mentioned a couple of weeks ago York are certainly improving and in the league they have only lost once since Boxing Day. They have had a pretty tough run of fixtures as well although they were certainly guilty of not putting the game to bed against Maidstone last weekend. I still think York will survive and I certainly think they now have a better team than their hosts. Marathon are a best price of 63/25 on an away win and that really does look overpriced.

 

Nuneaton v Bradford Park Avenue

Tommy Wright’s honeymoon as new Nuneaton manager is well and truly over and following a superb run of form, they are now in a desperate run of form having lost their last three league games. Granted they have been against 3 sides in the top 5, but they have been well beaten each time. Bradford will be easier, but they have had two decent victories and although Gainsborough had their keeper sent off after 8 minutes it was pleasing to see Bradford go on and win comfortably. Bradford’s away form has been decent in recent weeks with them wining four of their last six on the road and the two defeats narrow 1-0 losses to Salford and Harrogate. At the price of 23/10 (Marathon) they look a sporting play.

 

Double

Worcester are in big trouble on and off the field. Off the field they are short of money and even if they do avoid relegation it looks like they might have to take voluntary relegation to keep the club alive. On the pitch they don’t have a manger and are starting to lose some of their better players as they need to lower the wage bill. Harrogate beat them easily last weekend and given Halifax have won five and drawn one in their last six games they shouldn’t have too many issues gaining another 3 points here. Billericay are the total opposite to Worcester in that they have the cash to get in players and have made plenty of eye-catching signings in recent weeks.

They struggled to gel to start with, but are now really hitting top gear and ran out 6-0 winners against 2nd place Needham Market on Wednesday night. They have also beaten 3rd place Havant recently and although the play-offs look like a step too far this season, they look strong title contenders for next season. Grays have won 2 and lost 8 of their last ten games and are detached at the bottom of the division. If they keep up the level they showed on Wednesday Billericay should win this Essex derby with ease and the 15/8 on the -1 handicap is also worth taking. The double pays 1.74/1 with Marathon.

[Darran]

1 hour ago, StevieDay1983 said:

As always, I'm going to have to back my wife's hometown club Merthyr Town. They are ranked at 2.80 away against Slough so I am tempted by the draw no bet but still fancy backing them for the narrow 1-0 or 2-1 win. Interested to hear what @addpea thinks of that!

Interesting game between two teams going for promotion, but I don't really have a view either way. I tend to find games like that are usually priced up about right especially at Step 3 level.

[Tanktop]

Nice one @sammydubs youve done some of the write up for me already! Was also going to go for Burgess hill and Barrow (Torquay are going to have a very long round trip as well!). My other ones are:

Bromley v Solihull

Bromley are on form at the  minute, winning 6 and losing 2 of their last 8 home games. the losses against Forest Green and Dover, Solihull are W2 D2 L3 in the lat 8 away, including a defeat to lowly Woking on Tuesday.

http://www.solihullmoorsfc.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=12567

Bromley @ 1.95

 

Dartford v Chelmsford

Six wins in a row have propelled Dartford up the table, they have lost 1 and won 7 of their last 8 (and all but 2 of those games have had 4 or more goals), and lost once at home all season, at the minute theyre scoring goals for fun. Chelmsford City have playoff aspirations of their own and were in with a shout of the title race up until mid October. The Essex club went seven games without a win, drawing six of them. The Clarets have since got back to winning ways, with defeat at Ebbsfleet United an exception, yet on the weekend they shared the points with St Albans City to drop two in a frustrating afternoon. Stringer noted his attack wasn’t clinical enough, a problem he’s noticed with frequency this campaign. They have won once in the last 6 away matches. They have won 4 league matches since october 22nd (W4 D7 L7), but these 4 wins were against teams in the bottom 4 (whitehawk, truro and Bishops stortford x2)

http://www.dartfordfc.com/match-preview-dartford-vs-chelmsford-city/ - Dartford preview

http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/big-test-for-clarets-against-darts-53437/ - Chelmsford preview

Dartford @ 1.80

[Darran]

I actually think Barrow are on the short side. They have been struggling to win football matches and although Torquay aren't great Barrow hardly seem a team you want to be lumping on at short odds at the moment. Look much better odds on shots this weekend.

[Tanktop]

Id have to reluctantly agree with you on the Bradford bet, we've been shite since Reece Styche went to T**worth. Wright has been constantly rotating the squad, trying to find a team that gels, but it hasnt happened. Its not that we've lost games, but that we've lost without a fight - no spirit or desire, and it wont be long before the crowd gets on Wrights case especially if we lose this one. A definate '6 pointer', but the general view is that we wont be relegated anyway as worcester will apply to go down, not really the attitude you want though!

[sammydubs]

4 hours ago, addpea said:

Interesting game between two teams going for promotion, but I don't really have a view either way. I tend to find games like that are usually priced up about right especially at Step 3 level.

Point taken and agreed @addpea

this weekends main treble is going to be difficult however leaning towards towards...

York 

Burgess Hill

Merstham 

Bromley I like too but gut feel not good. Eastleigh I've seen once live this year vs Swindon and they looked good, granted it was FA Cup and they have lost players since. Tough decisions! 

Good luck to all 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2017 by sammydubs

[StevieDay1983]

17 hours ago, Tanktop said:

Id have to reluctantly agree with you on the Bradford bet, we've been shite since Reece Styche went to T**worth. Wright has been constantly rotating the squad, trying to find a team that gels, but it hasnt happened. Its not that we've lost games, but that we've lost without a fight - no spirit or desire, and it wont be long before the crowd gets on Wrights case especially if we lose this one. A definate '6 pointer', but the general view is that we wont be relegated anyway as worcester will apply to go down, not really the attitude you want though!

That is the key difference for me, mate. I find you can look at a team's form as long as you want but you learn more by finding out the manner they lost rather than whether or not they lost. If a team is showing no desire then the problems are deeply rooted. However, if they are battling but still losing you feel a win could be just around the corner. I remember even when Merthyr Town suffered their problems they still battled for every point.