GW 27 – Ones to Watch

Matt: GW 27 is the last of January’s offerings and we’ve got a bit of a treat (although that might prove to be completely the wrong word!) for you, as we’ve included the National League North & South fixtures, usually reserved purely for ‘International Weeks’. With no Premier League matches scheduled for this round or next, (save for Burnley v Watford next weekend, which has been rearranged as both sides are out of the FA Cup), it’s a timely move and one which allows you to have another dabble with these lesser known teams if you so wish. There’s also a full programme across all of our other usual leagues, so once again there really should be every chance of notching yourself a big score. Let’s have a look at two of this weekend’s options:

• Boreham Wood v King’s Lynn Town. A superb away win at fellow National League title/promotion hopefuls Halifax Town on Wednesday evening has moved the Hertfordshire club to within just 2 points of the summit of the table. As unlikely as it is that the four teams above them will all lose on Saturday, a victory against a struggling King’s Lynn outfit gives ‘The Wood’ a chance of ending the weekend at the very top…..and with games in hand on all of their rivals. Whilst not necessarily prolific scorers, Boreham do have an enviable home record – seven wins, five draws and no defeats in the league this season – and with the visitors having lost seven consecutive games on their travels, the worst of which was a 5-0 mauling at Stockport County, this is an absolutely golden opportunity for the home side to plunder another 3 points in their quest for League Two football. King’s Lynn have the second-worst goal difference in the league for a reason and I suspect The Linnets will have their work cut out to prevent that figure of -27 getting any worse!
• Brackley Town v Farsley Celtic. As you well know, I do love to delve into leagues and competitions we don’t have in play too often, and this National League North fixture looks to have plenty of appeal. Rather like my first tip, the team I’m backing are not particularly fruitful in front of goal, but being as they are facing a Farsley side who have already conceded an eyewatering 49 goals in the league alone this season, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Brackley fail to find the net. It’s even more unlikely when you take recent form into account; Celtic have not only lost four matches on the bounce, but they’ve been heavily beaten in three of them – including two horrific home losses to Hereford (0-4) and worse still Darlington (0-6)! An away trip to the team perched in second place in the standings might actually come as a slight relief on that basis!! Brackley have recently been dethroned at the top by Gateshead Town, but The Saints are well in touch and a win here could see them move level with the new leaders. I don’t necessarily expect this to be a goalfest as Brackley are the lowest scorers in the top half of the NLN, but they’re fairly consistent and this really should be a fixture that they target for maximum points and some goals to go with them. Good luck to you all.