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Non-League Football Betting: Push the final day boat out on Barrow

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Gary Boswell is in somewhat of a black mood, with only two meaningful fixtures in this week's Blue Square Premier. Every cloud does have a silver lining though, and this one is no different. The play-offs are next week!

It isn't a time to be risking the mortgage on the Blue Square Premier as the final day brings the somewhat anti-climactic finale containing only two games where there is anything tangible to play for.

You can argue that the four play-off teams will be jockeying for position and perhaps Burton have an incentive to beat Exeter in order to try to avoid a semi-final against Torquay. What's more likely is that all the teams with no competitive reason to play will be shuffling squads and treating the last day of a long hard season as an early summer friendly. Trappy in the extreme for the football result predictor.

Burton and Exeter could be meeting in the play-off final at Wembley in a fortnight so I can't see either really wanting to give much away in this meaningless fixture and it sets the tone for a weekend when cash should perhaps be kept in pockets!

The two games that do matter are Halifax's quest for a point at home to hapless Stevenage and Altrincham's visit to the Wessex Stadium where three points could still see the Robins survive the drop if Halifax slip up.

Graham Heathcote's ability to keep Altrincham in the non-league top flight by hook or by crook in recent years makes you wonder whether he might not pull off the unlikely again. Sadly, I really can't see the Shaymen letting go now after a truly hard-fought reprieve from the clutches of financial ignominy. If only the board had the same bottle as the players on the pitch!

I thought Lewis Killeen & Co. were outstanding in both last Thursday's television Alamo against Ebbsfleet and Tuesday night's 4-0 thumping of Crawley. The 0-0 draw with Aldershot wasn't bad either!

I'll be amazed if they let Peter Taylor's 'we blew the play-offs' mob of marionettes deny them their place in next season's non-league elite. The only trouble betting-wise is that a draw is enough for Halifax with such a superior goal difference to that of Altrincham. Time perhaps for a lump on the Shaymen with a cover bet on the draw. I would not want to take too short a price on the Shaymen though so it's a case of posting the preferred of around [1.9] and seeing if there are any Stevenage supporters out there with any faith left!

Altrincham are a poorish price at [2.4] to collect the three points from a Weymouth team who have also fought well, particularly in recent weeks, to achieve safety. I can't get over-enthused about this one as a banker bet, though. The momentum has gone from the Robins' final flight and John Hollins' Terras might do a pro job and send Altrincham to where they should arguably have been for the last three seasons!

With a paucity of punts in the Premier, it's worth a quick glance over the North and South fixtures that still matter. I am particularly drawn to Barrow who had Tamworth do them a serious favour Tuesday night by stealing a point from Harrogate. The Bluebirds have landed four naps for us in the last fortnight and are unbeaten since early February under the stewardship of Sheridan and Bayliss - the newly named Cagney and Lacey of South Cumbria! What was at Xmas an unthinkable chance to make the play-offs is now in their own hands on the final day. They need a win against Worcester at Holker Street and it's an absolute Boz banker with the strikeforce of Jason Walker and Nick Rogan. The Bluebirds are also a tasty bet for ultimate promotion if you can get odds of around [6.0].

Down in the Conference South, the play-offs are still wide open. Seven teams are in with a chance of making the showdown's final two places and nine teams are still alive in the possible promotion betting. Newport County let me down big style on Monday night but they get a final chance to redeem themselves in the cup final fixture against fourth placed Fisher on Saturday. It's winner takes all but I've lost my confidence in the South generally and am continuing to find it a difficult read. Champions Lewes' 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Hampton & Richmond on Tuesday night is symptomatic of the inconsistency in this division and my betting advice is definitely to keep your hands in your pockets until the play offs come around.

Recommendations:
3pts Back, Barrow to beat Worcester at [1.5] or better.
2pts Back, Halifax to beat Stevenage at [1.9] or better
&
1pt Back, Draw between Halifax and Stevenage

A note from the editor - Gary Boswell will be doing a special non-league play-offs portfolio blog over the weekend. Don't miss it when it arrives early next week, giving you plenty of time to prepare for a week full of play-off fixtures.