The National League takeaways on Twitter have become a part of my Sunday morning or late midweek tweets, something I thought I’d add this season more for my own thoughts and notes featuring where I can little bits that people might not have noticed or what looks like good going on or a struggle on the horizon. If Twitter had more characters, then the postings would probably be longer, adding an extra tweet to the thread doesn’t always work for people to see so sometimes you feel you are silently mouthing the words into the abyss. An opportunity here from Matt for me to expand further on what I would call snippets of information gives wider scope to look at a little more in-depth at the situation across all three divisions as we head into the first Saturday action of 2023.
We start off in the National League where the top six clubs remained unchanged from where they finished on Boxing Day. Notts County will be disappointed to have dropped two points away at Oldham, leaving the door slightly ajar for Wrexham with a game in hand. Despite the deadly duo of Macaulay Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott notching goal number 22 and 12 respectively either side of a strike from Nathan Sheron, new signing Joe Nuttall made sure County left frustrated but still holding onto top spot.
The Red Dragons had to wait 24 hours to secure their three points with a 2-1 win over out of sorts Solihull Moors. Neither Paul Mullin nor Ollie Palmer were on the scoresheet as the gap closed to just two points at the top, Moors now with four defeats in the last five games dropping into the bunch of play-off chasing teams. Whilst everyone talks about the top two Chesterfield are really hanging in there. A few points further back currently but if games in hand are won four points will separate the three sides with the same number of games played, coming from behind on New Year’s Day to beat bottom side Scunthorpe 4-1 showed power and not to be discounted. Woking are there or thereabouts and need to keep winning, a ruthless performance against Aldershot saw them match Chesterfield’s result and keep up with the Spireites, having played a game more however might work against them.
Draws for Barnet and out of form Southend kept both tucked in behind whilst Eastleigh joined the party in 7th after dispatching Dorking 4-0 before half time. Underneath the Spitfires is very congested, just three points is the gap between 6th placed Southend and 14th place, Dagenham, Bromley and Altrincham in very good form within that chasing pack. At the bottom end of the table things are starting to look bleak for both Scunthorpe and Torquay of the five sides now adrift of Yeovil. Games in hand for both Gateshead and Oldham need to be won, looking a little ominous for Maidstone United without a drastic change of form.
In the National League North, we have a tight three-way title race although Chester, Scarborough and Fylde can’t be discounted either. Kings Lynn hold the key with three games in hand on the top two, the top six are however all in very good form. Despite being the closest of the three divisions for most of the season it has now settled down and the middle of the table is less congested but with four months of the season left there is plenty of time for any team to make a charge for the top seven places. Spennymoor Town and Bradford Park Avenue are the two sides in the middle on a run of form and both could feature higher if they maintain their current unbeaten runs. However, Park Avenue are only three points clear of Kettering Town who occupy the last relegation place at the moment, Boston United and Hereford United are the ones to look out for currently out of form and heading the wrong way down the table. Whilst Farsley Celtic are making headway to get out of the bottom four, Blyth are finding the going tougher with three straight defeats, a glimmer of hope for AFC Telford with consecutive draws against high flying Chester but wins are the order of the day and Kevin Wilkin will need a few of them to perfect the great escape.
And finally, the National League South. Quite the title race developing after Dartford thumping local rivals Ebbsfleet for four twice over festive period. Fleet are now on a run of four without a win and despite three games in hand over their Kent rivals they must win them all to get back in the race. The pair sandwich Havant who despite their up and down form are also well in the title mix with two games in hand on the Darts after a win at Eastbourne Borough.
Chelmsford can’t be discounted either, hanging on the coattails in 4th spot whilst St Albans great run has propelled them into 5th, an unbeaten run stretching back to 26th November.
Just outside the play off places, Braintree haven’t won in five to slip to 9th but still in touch with the top seven, underneath them it’s a little less congested with Tonbridge Angels struggling to find some consistency to their season. Farnborough, Dulwich Hamlet and Taunton Town have all gone on recent good runs and with games in hand will be eyeing mid-table safety if they can maintain recent form. At the bottom both Cheshunt and Chippenham have given themselves great hope in avoiding the drop but need to keep winning whilst Weymouth’s recent revival has hit the buffers. Hungerford might be a few points adrift but as pointed out they are high in goal attempts and just need a striker to convert and turn draws and losses into wins before games start to ebb away quickly.
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