NON-LEAGUE expert Paul Maddison (@LouthBigDog) shares his favourite fancies from Tuesday night’s action.
Braintree Town v Leyton Orient | Tuesday 25th September, 19:45
Braintree have picked up just six points in their opening 12 matches and already look like they will need a miracle to stay up this season.
The Iron have really struggled for goals, netting just seven goals, as they have failed to score in five of their last seven. However, the one thing they have got going for them is, they don’t concede too many, shipping two or more goals in only three of their 12 games.
Leyton Orient are full of confidence after a great win at Harrogate at the weekend, a victory that sees the O’s climb to the top of the table. One of the keys to their success is that they have such a settled side – the Harrogate encounter saw Justin Edinburgh name an unchanged side for the eighth time in a row.
The Londoners have won six of those eight, keeping five clean sheets in the process.
This game will feel more like a home game for Leyton Orient too. They’re expecting to take around 1,600 fans to Cressing Road, where the average attendance so far this season has been below 700.
I’ve got a feeling this is going to be a very one-sided game, so I was surprised about the 7/4 available with Bet365 on Leyton Orient to win ‘to nil’.
Solihull Moors v Dagenham & Redbridge | Tuesday 25th September, 19:45
Solihull carried on their great home form at the weekend with a convincing 5-0 win against a Bromley side that look a poor side at the moment. That was the Moors fourth victory and fourth clean sheet in six home games, and they look a great price at 89/100 with Marathon to win here.
I’ve found another bet I quite fancy too at slightly bigger odds though.
After a poor start to the season things are starting to look a bit brighter for Dagenham & Redbridge. An American consortium, including Tim Howard, has taken over the club meaning they can at least concentrate on the football rather than off-field distractions.
At first glance it looked like they had turned a bit of a corner on the pitch too – before the weekend the Daggers had won two and drawn two of their previous four.
However, that run of games saw them draw with Salford, who played the majority of the game with 10 men and they needed a penalty to beat a poor Braintree side. Meanwhile, ot took a last-minute winner to beat Barrow, and they drew with Chesterfield, who scored their only goal in their last seven against the capital club.
One thing I will give Dagenham credit for though, is they don’t roll over easily. Tuesday’s visitors have been behind at half-time just once in their last eight matches, six of those eight have been all-square at the break.
Although Solihull stormed into a 4-0 lead at home in their previous match, it was only the second time this season that they have been ahead at half-time. Seven of the Moors’ 12 matches have been all-square at the halfway mark and I think the Daggers are capable of holding them off until the second period.
You can get 81/20 (Marathon) for Draw/Solihull in the Half-Time/Full-Time market, and I like the look of that as a bigger price for interest.
Sutton United v Dover | Tuesday 25th September, 19:45
After a shocking result last Tuesday, where they lost 4-0 at home to Boreham Wood, Sutton soon put things right with a fantastic 3-0 win against Wrexham at the weekend.
Wrexham did have Luke Summerfield sent off just before half-time but Sutton were already two up at that point.
That was the Yellows’ fourth win in their last five, a run that includes an away tie in Scotland as they faced Airdrieonians in the Scottish Challenge Cup. They won that game 1-0, meaning they now travel to Ireland to play Bohemians in the Last 16.
Dover are finding the going tough this term; they have won just once and sit rock-bottom of the league on goal difference. The guests are conceding two goals a game on average and have scored just three times in their last eight, all of which came at home.
Before the 4-0 defeat to Boreham Wood, Sutton had conceded just twice in their five home games and I can really see Dover struggling here.
You can get 41/50 on the home win with Marathon – I wouldn’t put anyone off that, but I prefer the look of Sutton -0.75 on the Asian Handicap at 26/25 also with Marathon.
We’ll enjoy a half-stakes win should Sutton win by a solitary strike and a full-stakes profit if the hosts triumph by two goals or more.
TOPICS Football League Tips Non-League TipsBest Bets
Braintree v Leyton Orient – Leyton Orient to win ‘to nil’ (7/4 Bet365)
Solihull Moors v Dagenham & Redbridge – Solihull Moors to win (89/100 Marathon)
Solihull Moors v Dagenham & Redbridge – Draw/Solihull Moors (81/20 Marathon)
Sutton United v Dover – Sutton United -0.75 Asian Handicap (26/25 Marathon)