National League preview as Dover, Sutton and Macclesfield hope end the night top

There’s another big night of National League action ahead this evening, with leaders Dover Athletic looking to extend their lead at the top.
Chris Kinnear’s men extended their unbeaten run to 10 games on Saturday with a hard-fought point at Leyton Orient, but will want to claim all three when they visit fellow promotion chasers Dagenham & Redbridge.
The Daggers are on the cusp of the play-offs after their exciting 3-2 win over Guiseley on Saturday, and second-placed Wrexham will be hoping John Still’s side can get a result.
Chris Holroyd’s brace earned the Dragons a vital three points against Ebbsfleet at the weekend, and they cut Dover’s lead at the top to a solitary point – a win over lowly Solihull Moors could take the Welsh side to the summit if Kinnear’s side don’t win.
In one of the tightest National League campaigns in recent memory, two other sides could also find themselves top of Non-League tonight if results go their way.
Sitting pretty in third are Sutton United, with Paul Doswell’s side fresh from Saturday’s win 3-2 win over Halifax, as they prepare to host relegation-threatened Torquay United tonight.
Ross Lafayette ultimately scored the winner at the weekend, but the U’s had to dig in deep to beat the spirited Shaymen and leapfrog Macclesfield.
John Askey’s men are enjoying a brilliant season, and are level on 36 points with Sutton, but could only draw 0-0 at home to Boreham Wood on Saturday. They face another tough test against Tranmere Rovers this evening.

Rovers are currently languishing in 15th, and their stuttering season was summed up in their 1-0 defeat at Gateshead with Richie Sutton’s unfortunate own goal the difference.
The Heed, meanwhile, are rising rapidly under Steve Watson following Saturday’s win, and have now won three of their last four games ahead of tonight’s clash with Barrow.
The Bluebirds earned an impressive 2-0 win at Eastleigh to put breathing space between themselves and the relegation zone, but Chester will be hoping to plunge them back into trouble when they travel to Leyton Orient.
The O’s battled well against leaders Dover on Saturday to secure a valuable point, but Marcus Bignot’s men will be buoyed by their weekend draw at Bromley and will hope to pounce on any Barrow slip-ups.
Guiseley, like Chester, can escape the bottom four tonight if results go their way, but are struggling for form despite an encouraging display at Dagenham on Saturday.
Paul Cox’s side produced a stunning win over Accrington Stanley last week, but have now lost their last two league games ahead of this evening’s clash at AFC Fylde.
FC Halifax Town are also struggling, with no win in their last five games, and face a tough trip to Hartlepool United this evening, despite Pools having their resurgent form of recent weeks abruptly ended by Aldershot on Saturday.
The Shots managed to make it back-to-back league wins with a 2-0 victory in the North East, and can keep pace with the top three at Bromley.
Neil Smith’s side have their own promotion aspirations, though, and will want to improve on Saturday’s draw with Chester to solidify their spot in the top seven.
Maidstone also had their promotion charge dented over the weekend when they were forced to settle for a point against struggling Solihull, and could suffer the same fate tonight against a Boreham Wood side who have drawn four in a row.
Another side desperate to get back to winning ways are Woking, who are now ninth having gone five games without a win.
Having lost three in a row, the Cards have drawn their last two and play Ebbsfleet – the side with the most stalemates in the league – this evening in an important game for both sides.
Eastleigh could find themselves perilously close to the relegation zone when the full-time whistle is blown tonight, so will be eager to beat Maidenhead United after their 2-0 loss to Barrow.
The Spitfires were booed off by their fans on Saturday, and Maidenhead will hope to make the most of what could be a hostile atmosphere in Alan Devonshire’s 472nd game in charge – a Magpies record.