Non-league / Gary Boswell / 10 December 2007 / 1

Gary Boswell's Non-League midweek blog

Weather played its part in ruining the weekend and now fans of Torquay must endure the dreaded games-in-hand syndrome as they saw Aldershot sneak away to a seven point lead at the top of Blue Square Premier. I was delighted to see the Shots once again edging a win in a game they didn't dominate anywhere near as much as expected. It's real Championship form for me and now Torquay must do same at the Throstle's Nest on Wednesday night simply to stay in touch going into the Xmas break.

Games in hand is always a strained psychological test for teams chasing a leader with points in the bag. Some teams wobble, other don't but its agony for thinking fans who always tend to fear the worst. I was talking to a Torquay fan last week who asserted quite forcefully that this is the best team seen at Plainmoor for twenty years.Good enough to win any league he thrust at me as one known to be opposing their chances of ending up on top. " Are they good value at [2.68] to win the league?" I asked.

"I'd be happier if we didn't have any games in hand " he replied in typical thinking fan mode suddenly less belligerent about his thrusting assertion of supremacy. I was re-assured. Torquay are good but they are not a good price.

On form, Farsley could not be fancied as part-timers who have seriously struggled since the departure of influential manager Lee Sinnot. They were also spared exertion at the weekend though with the weather ki-boshing their game at Weymouth and they'll come to this fresh. Chris Billy and Amjad Khan could manufacture some midfield menace to test the Gulls and you've seen how nothing can be taken for granted in BSP this season. I'm quite keen to take the Gulls on in a game they've got to win and will be very nervous about. I still think their defence is there to be shot at and anything under [1.7] will tempt me to Lay.

Lee Sinnot will have one eye on that game but a more immediate one on his Port Vale Tuesday night as they attempt to avoid the ultimate FA Cup humiliation away at BGB Midlands side Chasetown. A Step 5 pyramid side has never ousted a League One side in the history of the FA Cup but if it's ever going to happen, this is it. Charlie Blakemore's heroes were very worthy of their replay and at [5.5] or better, I'm prepared to play on this as the possible midweek FA Cup shock. I can't see Southend or Swansea slipping up against Oxford and Horsham but Burton are still in with a big shout at Underhill and [5.0] about Cloughie's embryonic league team is also on my shopping list.

Two games in the Blue Square South also catch the midweek eye. Marc Goldberg's shock defection from the hotseat at Bromley means we can't be sure that Lewes will get the full test following their welcome reversal against Hayes and Yeading at the weekend. I want to see the Rooks beaten again as they are proving a more resolute table topper than I was expecting but Bromley were ineffectual against the Spitfires on Saturday and I therefore prefer to play in the game Ian Baird's boys have against a truly uninspired Thurrock Seven defeats from eight on the road for them this season and I don't expect them to put up much resistance against a resurgent Spitfire team.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

2pt LAY on Torquay at [1.7] or under against Farsley Celtic
1pt BACK on Chasetown at [5.5] against Port Vale
1pt BACK on Burton at [5.0] against Barnet
2pt BACK on Eastleigh against Thurrock

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1. KEVIN | 11 December 2007

   I don't see Burton or Chasetown pulling off a shock. Non-league sides usually only have one crack, even if they enjoy home advantage in the replay.

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