5 National League Tips for Saturday’s Action - 9/10/21

Halifax Town host Weymouth on Saturday at the Shay Stadium in what is a battle of third versus 20th.

Pete Wild’s side come into this match off the back of beating Notts County 3-2 last time out which was their third win in four matches, having come from 2-0 down thanks to goals from Jordan Slew, Billy Waters and Matty Warburton. Their other matches in this run saw the Shaymen draw 0-0 at Barnet, as well as Aldershot Town 1-0 and Stockport County 3-0.

On the other side, Weymouth are 20th in the league standings due to their poor defensive record, leaking 21 despite finding the back of the net 13 times in 10 matches. Weymouth’s 3-0 loss to Bromley was their fourth defeat in five games, having also lost 2-1 to Stockport County, Barnet 3-1 and 4-2 to Dagenham & Redbridge, as well as 1-1 at home to Dover Athletic, showing that they have the capability to score against any opponent in the division on their day.

Top of the table Grimsby Town travel to Woking on Saturday, with the Mariners looking to extend their lead at the top of the National League.

Woking are eighth in the table having won three matches in a row having defeated Chesterfield 3-1, Notts County 4-1 as well as 1-0 at home to Dagenham & Redbridge, meaning that they will provide Grimsby with a tough challenge.

Meanwhile, Grimsby have won back to back matches, hammering Dover Athletic 6-0 at home where goals from Luke Waterfall (2), John McAtee, Ryan Taylor (2) and Will Bapaga all got on the scoresheet. Grimsby won with both teams scoring away at Altrincham in midweek despite going down to 10 men, as Bapaga scored but was sent off, whilst Taylor and Harry Clifton completed the Mariners scoring in a 3-2 win.

The hosts have scored 18 and conceded 10 in eight matches, whilst Town have scored the most goals in the division with 24, and let in 11 in 10 National league fixtures.

Big-spending Stockport County host National League strugglers Aldershot Town at Edgely Park.

County come into this game having won back-to-back matches for the first time this season following back-to-back 2-1 wins against Wrexham and Weymouth, with Paddy Madden and Ryan Rydel scoring in a comeback win against the initial side, whilst Madden and Ollie Crankshaw scored late goals versus Weymouth in the latter victory.

Aldershot are 21st in the league, despite winning two of their last four league matches, scoring 11 and conceding 16 across nine matches. Their two victories came against Southend United by a 3-2 scoreline at Roots Hall and their most recent win came at home to basement club Dover Athletic 2-1 on Tuesday. In between these results, the Shots lost 1-0 to Halifax and drew 2-2 with Wealdstone.

Ninth in the table Altrincham take on 17th placed Maidenhead at Moss Lane, with the hosts looking to get into the playoff places.

Altrincham lost last time out to Grimsby Town 3-2 at home, ending a three-game winning streak, having beaten Notts County 1-0, King’s Lynn Town 4-1, as well as defeating Dagenham & Redbridge 3-2.

The visitors haven’t won any of their last seven matches and have shown that they have the capability to match up with some of the higher reputation sides in the division, drawing 0-0 away at Yeovil Town as well as 1-1 with Grimsby Town at the end of September.

Altrincham have scored 16 goals in eight games, meaning that they often don’t outscore the chosen score group of 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 and with being favourites to win this match, the odds for this market to land is priced at 9/4.

Playoff contenders Bromley face Torquay United at Hayes Lane on Saturday in a game that the hosts are expected to win.

Bromley come into this match having won their last four matches in the National League having defeated Barnet 2-0, Dover Athletic 1-0, as well as hammering Grimsby Town 3-1 and Weymouth 3-0.

Torquay have won two of their last six matches, beating Wealdstone 5-0 against on 2nd September, as well as 1-0 at home to Southend United in late September. Their other games in this run include 2-0, 2-1 and 3-1 losses to Boreham Wood, Solihull Moors and Grimsby Town, as well as earning a point in a 2-2 draw against Chesterfield.

A player to look out for in this game will be Michael Cheek, who has scored eight goals in eight matches for Bromley in the National League this season, participating in 44% of his side’s goals.