Non-League Betting: Could it be time to start opposing the Sports?

Non-league / Gary Boswell / 26 September 2008 / 2 Comments

Gary Boswell talks us through the best betting opportunities from the world of Non-League football including a good old-fashioned "home banker" in the form of Stevenage.

The game to concentrate on this weekend in the BSP is Kidderminster's visit to Eastbourne where there is decent value to be had depending on which team you are keen to support. I know there are several pundits who fancy Garry Wilson's Sports to continue the surprising and exciting start to their life in the premier non-league division. They punched considerably above their weight to secure an early place in the top ten and the slide toward the more expected place in the relegation zone has only really started to happen in the last few games.

The current Betfair price on a Sports win on Saturday is a generous [2.94] and this is fancied by several of my colleagues on the Non-League Pools panel largely because they face a Kidderminster side who are notorious for being unable to achieve back to back wins not least because their away form since they returned to non-league football has been nothing short of atrocious.

The Boz has a soft spot for Kiddy who kicked off my career as a non-league pundit by overcoming Rushden and Diamonds in 2000 from an early position at the bottom of the table to earn the title as the first side from the county of Worcestershire to play in the Football League. Life has not been kind to them since their return to the fold and I think the current run of form and consistency that has elevated them into the play-off zone is the first significant sign that The Harriers are on the move again.

They looked a threat early last season on paper after the achievement of getting to be the first team to play at the New Wembley stadium in the Trophy final of 2007. Assistant manager Neil Howarth agreed with me on Betfair Radio a few weeks back that last season ultimately floundered on the confidence dented by that Wembley experience where a big day had been ruined by the loss of a two goal lead in the second half against Stevenage.

Well behind them now, I was very impressed with the shape of the new side that showed up on Setanta a few weeks back with the feed from Martin Brittain on the right to proven Conference strikers Justin Richards and Matt Barnes-Homer looking like a formula to trouble many a defence this season. Last week's win away at the Wessex Stadium was also a sign that Kidderminster can be trusted to win away this time round and I believe that they'll have too much class for an Eastbourne side for whom the chickens do now look like they are coming home to roost. [2.58] is a fair price on a Kiddy win and those looking to take on Eastbourne should be safe to lay at anything under [3.0].

The big six pointer at the top of the table between Steve Evans' Crawley and Mark Cooper's Kettering is undoubtedly game of the day and a Crawley win would seriously cement the Red Devils' title challenge at this early stage. A very close game to call though for betting purposes and it could be a game for the goalkeepers as both Lee Harper of Kettering and Simon Rayner of Crawley have been spotted ricking in recent games. Which one can be relied on most here? Marginally Harper but not a game I will be risking my money on.

Three home bankers look the best place to be staking the cash this weekend. Burton ended the final unbeaten record when they beat Kettering on Setanta on Monday night and looked impressive doing so with Greg Pearson's seven goal tally this season proving his was a shrewd get for the Brewers. They face a Forest Green side that cannot win for love nor money at the moment and a price of [2.0] on an Albion win will tempt me despite the fact that Nigel Clough does have selection headaches at the back with Darren Stride,Aaron Webster and Paul Austin all struggling with injuries at the moment.

If you've been keeping a close eye on the Setanta games in the past week, you may not be keen to take anything too short on a Cambridge side who are currently around [1.69] to beat visiting Grays in Sunday's game at the Abbey Stadium. Gary Brabin's Us were less than impressive in the defeat at struggling Oxford on Tuesday night and the Cambridge form is generally poor at the moment. They have slipped out of the top six and showed signs that the defensive uncertainties that dogged them early season are back to cause concern. Grays were also reasonably impressive first half in their Setanta game at home to Stevenage on Thursday night. They do have poor away form though with five defeats from five so far this season. The defence also looks short on confidence and will have Lee McEvilly to contain. On balance, I do favour a morale boosting Cambridge win especially if I can get the price up around [1.8].

Nap of the weekend is Graham Westley's in form Stevenage to see off a lacklustre York. The return of Steve Morrison and Mitchell Cole to the attack has revitalised Borough and their climb back up the table is now under way. Again,I wouldn't want to take much short of evens on them as their defence is still perhaps not the most robust but a banker nevertheless if the price is right. Westley has them once more scoring for fun.

THE BOZ's RECOMMENDED BETS FOR THIS WEEKEND:

1pt LAY on Eastbourne Borough at [3.0] or under
1.5pt BACK on Stevenage to beat York at [1.9] or greater
1pt BACK on Cambridge to beat Grays at [1.8] or greater
1pt BACK on Burton to beat Forest Green at [2.0] or greater

Comments (2)

1. Daz | 26 September 2008

   I totally agree with you about Eastbourne. I watched them play Ebbsfleet on Tuesday and they are rubbish (they managed one shot in the 2nd half) and I will now be looking to take them on at every opportunity starting tomorrow, especially as Kiddie hopefully are going to get some consistency together.
   Grays should have won last night and with the new manager coming in someone I rate highly as well I think they have got a much better chance of beating Cambridge than the odds suggest and so will be getting involved their.
   Oxford look bankers against Lewes especially as that win on Tuesday looked as if it had given the players a huge boost.

2. gary boswell | 27 September 2008

   I take it from that you were not that impressed with Stevenage then, Daz? I'm keeping a watching brief on them now after making dosh from laying early season. I think Morrison and Cole have made a huge difference since they came back and Westley is good at keeping a head of steam going. The defence do worry me though and I still won't have them for the title. I thought Grays were ok too but they were at home and it's their away form that is dire!!

   Boz