This weekend’s National League fixtures serve up plenty of intriguing angles, and three matches in particular stand out for betting value. Gateshead against Aldershot brings together two of the league’s most chaotic sides, with both averaging close to four goals per game and showing little sign of tightening up defensively.
Brackley’s meeting with Scunthorpe pairs a compact, disciplined team with the division’s both teams to score specialists, setting the stage for a clash where both sides look well placed to find the net. Meanwhile, Forest Green’s trip to Braintree offers a very different profile, with the league leaders carrying the strongest defensive record in the division into a game against a side already exposed by stronger opposition. Between high-scoring thrillers and controlled away wins, these three games highlight the different shapes a bet can take in the National League, and each carries a clear statistical edge worth exploring.
Gateshead vs Aldershot
Gateshead and Aldershot meet in the National League this weekend in what looks one of the most entertaining fixtures on the card. Both sides have already shown a tendency to play in wide open contests, with goals flowing at both ends, and the numbers make a strong case for backing both teams to score alongside over 2.5 goals.
Gateshead’s campaign has been defined by chaos. They have scored eight times in five games but conceded eleven, leaving their matches averaging 3.8 goals per outing. At home, they were beaten heavily by Southend and Rochdale but did get on the board in a 2-1 win over Tamworth, while their most recent clash ended in a remarkable 4-3 defeat at Yeovil. They have found the net in four of their five matches, yet their defence has been breached with ease.
Aldershot have been even more extreme. They are the league’s top scorers with 15 goals already, but their leaky backline has shipped ten. Their five fixtures have produced a total of 25 goals, averaging a remarkable five per game. They have scored at least twice in four of those matches and conceded in four as well, with their only clean sheet coming against struggling Morecambe.
With both attacks firing and both defences unreliable, this is a fixture tailor-made for goals
- Best Bet: Over 2.5 goals & both teams to score at 4/5 with Bet365
Brackley Town vs Scunthorpe Utd
Brackley Town and Scunthorpe United meet this weekend in the National League in what looks like an intriguing clash of styles. Brackley have made a steady start to the season, proving difficult to beat and keeping most games tight. Scunthorpe, meanwhile, have been one of the most entertaining sides in the division, with goals flowing freely at both ends of the pitch. When these two collide, the data points strongly towards both teams finding the net.
Brackley’s opening four fixtures have all been decided by fine margins. They drew 1-1 with Tamworth last time out, having previously beaten Rochdale 2-1, lost narrowly to Yeovil 2-1, and opened the campaign with a 1-0 win over Eastleigh. That means they have scored in every game so far and conceded in three of four, with their matches averaging 2.25 goals. They may not be prolific, but they are consistent in creating chances and are rarely watertight defensively.
Scunthorpe, on the other hand, have been the league’s BTTS specialists. All four of their matches have seen both teams score, with results including 3-2 wins over Sutton and Woking, a 2-1 victory at Tamworth, and a 1-1 draw with Halifax. They average 3.5 goals per game, scoring nine and conceding five.
- Best Bet: Both teams to score at 3/4 with Ladbrokes
Forest Green Rovers vs Eastleigh
Braintree welcome league leaders Forest Green this weekend, but the contrast between the two sides could hardly be sharper. Braintree’s five matches have produced a mixed bag: wins over Yeovil and Halifax at home, but heavy defeats away, most recently a 5-0 thrashing at Carlisle. They have scored five and conceded nine, with three losses already, and their xGA sits at one of the worst in the league. At home they can be stubborn, yet against the stronger sides they tend to be overpowered.
Forest Green arrive in complete control of the National League table. They are unbeaten after five matches with four wins and a draw, scoring 11 and conceding only three. Their defensive base is the best in the division, with three clean sheets already, and their last two victories over Eastleigh and Halifax both came without conceding. Importantly for betting purposes, all five of Forest Green’s fixtures have finished under 4.5 goals, with the majority tight, controlled affairs.
With Braintree limited going forward and Forest Green strong in both penalty areas, the likely outcome is another efficient win for the visitors. The stats point firmly towards them taking three points in a low-scoring contest.
- Best Bet: Forest Green win & under 4.5 goals at 6/5 with Betway
Further Reading
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