There’s a reduced National League South fixture list this weekend with many teams in FA Cup first round action.
However, there are still important league games going on at the top and bottom of the division for teams who’ve already exited the Cup.
Last weekend saw late goals change everything in a number of games, with Dartford now only one point clear at the top from St Albans City.
Read on for your preview of the biggest games and match odds courtesy of STSBet.
They may be league leaders, but all of a sudden Dartford have hit a run of poor form. They’ve fallen to consecutive defeats having gone the season unbeaten until last Saturday.
Dorking Wanderers and Concord Rangers only had to score one goal to secure wins in these games.
Therein lies Dartford’s problem, as the goals have dried up. They’ve only scored once in four games, in a 1-0 win over Hungerford Town.
Three games without a goal and a single point taken in that time have allowed St Albans and Dorking to emerge as the leaders of the chasing pack.
Chippenham are also on a poor run of form, with no win in six. They almost broke their duck against bottom club Braintree Town last weekend, but conceded a late equaliser.
While wins have been hard to come by for Mike Cook’s side, goals haven’t. They’ve only failed to score once this season, in a 0-0 draw with Hampton & Richmond Borough.
Both teams could do with a win to get back on the right track, but a low scoring draw might be tempting for neutrals. STSBet offers 45/4 for a 1-1 final score.
Match odds: Dartford 19/50, Draw 71/20, Chippenham Town 635/100
Maidstone are another side that need a win after picking up only one point in the last four games.
That slump in form has seen them fall from second to seventh in the NLS table after defeats at Hungerford Town, Dorking and Eastbourne Borough.
The Stones boast one of the division’s top scorers in Joan Luque, who has found the net seven times so far this season.
The two sides last met exactly one year ago, in the reverse fixture. Maidstone were 3-2 winners on that occasion.
Slough are faring better in recent weeks and are unbeaten in their last three games.
A seven game run without a victory since the opening day saw The Rebels drop down the table at pace. Victories over Havant & Waterlooville and Bath City arrested this slide with another point added last weekend.
Slough are another team more than capable of finding the net, scoring in each of their last eight games.
The 3/1 on offer for an away win at STSBet seems generous given both sides’ relative form and might be one to add to your weekend acca.
Match odds: Maidstone United 77/100, Draw 14/5, Slough Town 3/1
Dorking broke Dartford’s unbeaten record last weekend and will look to continue their impressive form at Vauxhall Road.
Promotion-chasing Dorking will climb above St Albans and Oxford City to second with a win, who are not in league action this weekend.
The Wanderers have won four games on the bounce and you’d be forgiven for having this as an away banker looking at the league table.
While Dorking will be favourites, Hemel have improved in recent weeks and have taken eight points in their last five games.
A five game losing streak to start the season is never ideal, but Mark Jones’ side have rallied in recent weeks to climb off the foot of the table.
Hemel will also be fresh having not played a game for two weeks.
Dorking have scored four goals in two of their four straight wins. If you fancy them hitting that target again, a 4-1 away win is available for 21/1 with STSBet.
Match odds: Hemel Hempstead Town 7/2, Draw 325/100, Dorking Wanderers 3/5.
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