Non-league / Gary Boswell / 21 November 2008 /

The Boz is in Bill Oddie mode as he rounds up this week's Non League Bets...

The Blue Square Premier title race remains tantalisingly poised following midweek wins for Torquay and Histon and this weekend throws up several fascinating fixtures that bear the closest scrutiny from both a result prediction and pricing up point of view.

Starting with new leaders Torquay who face a trip to Kingfield to face Woking and are even money to win. The Gulls are on a sensational fifteen game unbeaten run and are an unbelievable tenth side this season to sit on top of the league!

The Gulls have been a revelation since Paul Buckle realised the error of his ways and moved Chris Hargreaves back in to midfield. Very few personnel changes other than that (injured goalkeeper Michael Poke has been successfully covered by Scott Bevan) and hard to fathom how they went three defeats in a row earlier in the season. The 1-1 draw at Histon strikes me as proof that Torquay are once more destined to go all the way to the wire. The two games they have against Burton could well prove the key and the first of those is not due until early in the New Year.

Meanwhile, do we go with the Non-League Pools Panel who are unanimously predicting another Gulls success this weekend? Or do we contemplate the [4.4] and larger that you can expect to get on a Cards success? Such a price on a home team always catches my eye but on balance I tend to agree with the panel that Paul Buckle has achieved an irresistible momentum which should be followed until the bubble bursts.

If Torquay look an even money shot you cannot oppose, Histon are even more so. Imperious home form for the Stutes who play host to an Oxford side with just one away victory all season and this looks a solid home banker at the price. How the pecking order changes as Histon become the big, reliable club to bet on and Oxford the humble minnow!

Talking of humble minnows, Barrow were anything but in their 4-0 demolition of Eastbourne in the midweek FA Cup replay. A big £20,000 filip to the Bluebirds for whom Paul and David Brown are forging a useful partnership up front. The capture of Richard Brodie has also added gusto and they look to be hitting another purple patch in time to benefit from the visit of troubled Weymouth.

John Hollins' suspension and rumours of financial meltdown have caused doom and gloom and whilst there is not too much evidence of the Terras becoming vulnerable on the pitch, the off-field diversions won't help. A rampant Barrow could be worth a wager at a long looking [2.3].

That rates the Boz nap of the weekend with the other wager to interest me - on a weekend where I'll confess to being as fascinated by the possible results as by the betting outcomes - at Moss Lane where Graham Heathcote's Altrincham host Cambridge United. Cambridge are a stern test with Gary Brabin having dragged the Us back into the play-off places midweek with a good win over York. They have also developed the hard to beat away mentality under Brabin with just one defeat all season and a telling six draws.

Altrincham suffered midweek heartbreak in the FA Cup against Luton Town and
are consequently very vulnerable this weekend. In view of Cambridge's 'shut up shop' away tactics, the Robins are a big Lay for me at [2.9] or less.

The Boz's recommended bets for this weekend:

2pts Back Barrow at [2.3] or greater to beat Weymouth
1.5pts Lay Altrincham at [2.9] or less against Cambridge

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