A couple of teams are vying for top spot tonight in a busy National League schedule.
League leaders Gateshead are out of action with their match at Tamworth rescheduled for next month. Nearest challengers will be hoping to leapfrog them, they’re home to draw specialists Southend United who have shared the spoils in four of their six outings. Eastleigh returned to winning ways against Tamworth at the weekend with Paul McCallum scoring his fifth of the season.
The leading marksman in the division is Nick Haughton, who has seven for AFC Fylde. They threw away a 2-0 lead to lose at home to Yeovil Town on Saturday. Tonight they’re at Forest Green Rovers, who have an outside chance of going top. It’s only a second home game this season for Steve Cotterill’s side.
Their previous outing at the New Lawn was against Altrincham, who travel to Barnet tonight. The Bees were stung by Gateshead at the weekend, losing 2-0, but have won all three at the Hive, scoring 10 goals.
Altrincham hammered Ebbsfleet United 4-0 on Saturday, which cost Danny Searle his job. One point from seven matches leaves the Fleet four points adrift at the bottom. Tonight they host Aldershot Town, ironically previously managed by Searle. Midfielder Josh Wright will take temporary charge against the Shots, who lost 2-0 at Rochdale on Saturday.
That was Dale’s fourth successive clean sheet. Jimmy McNulty’s in-form team host Maidenhead United tonight, aware that a win could see them go top. They defeated the Magpies 1-0 in the corresponding game last March.
Yeovil Town have snuck into the play-off places thanks to back-to-back away wins. Nine different players have already netted for the Glovers this term, tonight they host a Solihull Moors outfit whose joint leading scorer is own goals. Conor Wilkinson’s penalty miss on Saturday proved crucial in defeat to Forest Green Rovers.
Boston United picked up an eye-catching win at the weekend, defeating Sutton United 3-0. They will be hoping to replicate this at home against Hartlepool United. The Pools were left frustrated in a 0-0 against Halifax last time out, their fourth draw from four at the Prestige Group Stadium.
Goalless draws are largely associated with Braintree Town, who are unbeaten in five but their last three have ended 0-0. They’ll look to end a 353 minute goal drought at York City tonight, while the Minstermen have won their last two 2-0 to cement a play-off spot.
While Braintree have played out three 0-0s, Oldham Athletic’s last trio have ended 1-1, the latest at Southend United on Saturday where Mike Fondop-Talom was on the target for the first time since the opening day. The Latics travel to FC Halifax Town tonight looking to end this sequence, last April’s meeting ended 2-2.
Dagenham & Redbridge are winless since the opening day but will go above opponents Sutton United if they’re victorious this evening. Meanwhile Wealdstone will be hoping to climb out of the bottom four, they are away to Woking who haven’t scored in their last two.
Tonight’s fixtures (all matches KO 7.45pm):
Barnet v Altrincham
Boston United v Hartlepool United
Dagenham & Redbridge v Sutton United
Ebbsfleet United v Aldershot Town
FC Halifax Town v Oldham Athletic
Forest Green Rovers v AFC Fylde
Rochdale v Maidenhead United
Southend United v Eastleigh
Woking v Wealdstone
Yeovil Town v Solihull Moors
York City v Braintree Town
An overview of these games will be in Sunday’s NLP!
