It’s that time of year to make resolutions and I’ve come up with one for each Blue Square Bet Premier club (some obvious – some not so) based on the first half of this thrilling season…
AFC TELFORD – Improve at home. They are a lowly 21st in the table featuring home matches only but in contrast are just above halfway in the away match table. Andy Sinton’s team need to improve at home against their fellow strugglers.
ALFRETON – Repeat the second-half of last season. This was the time that Nicky Law’s team went on a great run. They already have some fantastic stats away to build on and if they can be anywhere near as good this time around
they could certainly finish higher than 15th.
BARROW – Reclaim the fortress. Not many teams ever won at Holker Street, regardless of where they were in the table. The Bluebirds need that form again and they have six must-win games at home to clubs in the bottom half coming up. They’ve won just once there this season.
BRAINTREE – Show some resolve. The Iron have only taken two points from games where they’ve conceded first this term, with just four goals in reply when going behind in those nine matches. In the same fixtures they have conceded 24 goals. They have some easier home games in the New Year and they are must-win games.
CAMBRIDGE UNITED – Improve against their rivals. The U’s haven’t managed to win in eight games against sides in the top nine. It’s a familiar story for them with just five wins against that kind of team in the last two and a half seasons.
DARTFORD – Keep on believing. Tony Burman’s team know they can compete with the best as results against the top ten teams have shown – seven wins in ten. The second half of the season will be tough but they know that on
their day they can beat anyone and Burman can plan ahead for another season at this level.
EBBSFLEET – Keep it tight. The Fleet have gone behind in over 75 per cent of their games this season and have only won once when keeping a clean-sheet. Liam Daish has said his side need a more physical presence to compete
and that will have to start in defence where he knows best.
FOREST GREEN – Go for the jugular. Rovers have been best this season when coming out of the blocks fast. If you are trailing to Dave Hockaday’s side at halftime you might as well give up because they’ve lost just two points from those positions this season.
GATESHEAD – Beat the best. The Heed have just two wins against the sides above them in the table and will only be taken seriously as promotion contenders when they can start beating the sides that want to challenge for a top five place. Until then it will be just above mid-table at best.
GRIMSBY – Improve against the bottom four. The Mariners are in a great position but it’s surprising they haven’t won in four games against the teams in the relegation spots. Just two wins from those four games would see them with a much healthier lead.
HEREFORD – Attack, attack, attack! The Bulls have failed to score in over a quarter of their matches, stats which have kept them from competing in the race for a play-off position. Three of those blanks were fired at home, joined by three other home games where they scored just one goal. They need to be more ruthless.
HYDE – Keep their heads down and carry on. Looking at the table you’ll wonder what they were worried about earlier in the season. Their defeats mostly coming away to sides in the top half. They now only have three of those ‘hard’ games remaining.
KIDDERMINSTER – Forget the starter for ten. It was an atrocious start but since game 11 it couldn’t have gone any better. The Harriers have a real chance of improving on that dreaded sixth place that has dogged them in three of the last four seasons.
LINCOLN – Improve their consistency. Their incredible November spell which landed David Holdsworth the manager of the month award featured a hat-trick of league wins on the bounce. Unfortunately their five other wins this season have been followed with a defeat.
LUTON – Stop playing catch-up. The Hatters have conceded first in 13 of their 22 league games and need to put that right. And worryingly seven defeats have come when they’ve shipped the first goal.
MACCLESFIELD – Be faster out of the blocks. Steve King’s team would be 20th based on first half results only and have taken a while to get going in their games. The FA Cup will be a distraction but King will know that a play-off place is up for grabs for any team that puts a run together.
MANSFIELD – Repeat the formula! They have just one point fewer than at this stage of last season but with the absence of runaway leaders to chase, any replication of that form would put them in with a very serious chance of
going all the way. Their total of 89 points from last season will not be far off the total required to win it this time.
NEWPORT – Keep scoring for fun. It’s obvious to say that goals win games but we can also trace the last two winners of this division by applying the goals win divisions mantra. In fact four of the last six champions were also top scorers during that season and Justin Edinburgh has the players to make that five out of seven.
NUNEATON – Travel better. Kevin Wilkin’s team will be reluctant to open up too much away from home having already conceded 27 goals but just nine goals scored suggests they need to attack more in the New Year when on the road. They’ve already been to the top six teams so at least things will get easier.
SOUTHPORT – Keep more cleansheets. The Sandgrounders have kept the fewest clean-sheets in the division with just two. They’ve got a number of hard fixtures out of the way having already visited seven of the top ten. Liam Watson
can build on a slightly easier second-half to this campaign to ensure safety.
STOCKPORT – Stop the giveaways. County have thrown away 20 points from winning positions this season – more than any other club. A promising Autumn has given way to a run of poor form which has seen them take just one point from the last 18. They still have to go to nine of the top 12 teams.
TAMWORTH – Last the distance. The Lambs would be fourth in the table based on first half performances. They need to start seeing out their games – winning just four second halves and losing a disappointing 13.
WOKING – Keep on entertaining. Cards matches are the most exciting in the league – averaging nearly four goals. While that may be causing Garry Hill sleepless nights defensively, their approach has secured them enough points to be hopeful of staying in the division, especially with a number of the tougher fixtures out of the way.
WREXHAM – Convert their halftime draws. When being held at half-time the Red Dragons have found it hard to break down their opponents with just two games won when level at half-time. Opponents that have kept Wrexham quiet in the first half have a better than average chance of coming away with at least a point during the first half of this campaign.
The year gets underway with a full programme of New Year’s Day fixtures and we have a full list of prices available on the Blue Square website (www.bluesq.com) for those important matches across the three divisions!
