National League preview: Dover Athletic v Sutton United game of the night

(Picture: Matt Bristow)
By Matt Badcock
LEADERS Dover Athletic take on third-place Sutton United in an action-packed midweek fixture list.
The early National League promotion race is turning into one of the most intriguing in recent seasons with no team able to claim more than seven wins in the first 13 games and tenth place FC Halifax Town just three points behind the table-topping Whites.
Ryan Bird headed Chris Kinnear’s side back to the summit with a late goal against Solihull Moors on Saturday, while Sutton took a point at Wrexham thanks to Ross Lafayette’s brilliant 80th-minute equaliser.
Paul Doswell’s side are just a point behind Dover, with Dagenham & Redbridge sandwiched between them.
John Still’s Daggers, play-off semi-finalists last season, travel to Aldershot Town on the back of a 1-0 home win against Torquay United. They are the division’s top scorers and face a Shots side looking to bounce back from Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Macclesfield that sent them down to eighth in the table.
The points catapulted Macc up to fourth and they’re off to relegation-threatened Guiseley this evening.
Maidstone United seem to be hitting their stride and returned from Barrow at the weekend with a win – their fourth in an unbeaten run of five games. The in-form Stones host Bromley, who have lost twice on the bounce.
Wrexham – pegged back by that late Lafayette goal on Saturday – are eight games unbeaten, although four of their last five games have ended in draws. Dean Keates takes his team to FC Halifax Town.
Woking haven’t tasted defeat in four outings and will make the long trip to Chester full of confidence.
The hosts were left fuming on Saturday when their game at Eastleigh was postponed after the referee deemed an area of the pitch unplayable just moments before they arrived at the ground. Eastleigh are away at Boreham Wood, who secured a late point at Gateshead.
Heed boss Neil Aspin has been linked with the vacancy at Port Vale over the last week and his side are at AFC Fylde.
Ebbsfleet United have only been beaten once so far this season but they have drawn nine games. Saturday’s win against FC Halifax was their second in a row, however, and they will be looking to make that three at Solihull Moors.
Torquay United are still winless with new boss Gary Owers fully aware they need a win sharpish. Could that come at home to league new boys Maidenhead United?
Meanwhile, Leyton Orient are at Tranmere Rovers tomorrow night for the clash that BT Sport will show live on Sky.
Orient have lost four of their last five games, while Rovers fans will hope their stuttering beginning to the season will be kick-started by James Norwood’s late winner at the weekend against Bromley.