Sporting Life
Matthew O'Regan Tips

Matthew O'Regan's Boxing Day tips: Non-league & EFL predictions and best bets for December 26

By Matthew O'Regan
Football
Wed December 24, 2025 · 4h ago

Football betting tips: Non-league and EFL

Championship: Sheff Wed vs Hull

1pt Hull to win at evens (General)

0.5pt Oliver McBurnie to score and be shown a card at 11/1 (Sky Bet)

League One: Cardiff vs Exeter

1.5pts Cardiff to win and over 1.5 goals at 4/5 (bet365)

National League: Gateshead vs Carlisle

1.5pts Carlisle to win and over 1.5 goals at 4/5 (bet365)

National League: Truro vs Yeovil

0.5pt Luke McCormick to score anytime at 5/1 (bet365)

0.25pt McCormick to score 2+ goals at 50/1 (bet365)

National League: York vs Boston

2pts Over 2.5 York goals at 4/5 (bet365)

1pt Over 3.5 York goals at 12/5 (bet365)

National North: Telford vs Chester

1pt BTTS and over 2.5 goals at evens (bet365)

National South: Eastbourne vs Worthing

2.5pts Over 1.5 Worthing goals at 3/4 (bet365)

Goals treble

0.5pt Over 2.5 Worthing goals, over 3.5 York goals & over 4.5 goals in Sutton vs Aldershot at 41/1 (bet365)

*All 15:00 Boxing Day kick-offs

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

There is no rest for the wicked. In preparation for a heavy and busy Christmas period in which I will be consuming my body weight in Mahou and Asahi, I have plenty of EFL and non-league bets to get stuck in to. Happy Holidays!

Sheffield Wednesday vs Hull

South Yorkshire faces East Yorkshire at Hillsborough with Sheffield Wednesday hosting HULL in the Championship.

Hit with a transfer embargo and a points deduction, Wednesday have been all but relegated since the first game of the season. While they showed fight at the start, perhaps the novelty has worn off as they continue to get dismantled every week.

The Owls have taken just two points from 11 home games, scoring five goals and conceding 27. Henrik Pedersen’s side are deflated and depleted and face a tricky post-Christmas clash.

Four wins from five, including away at Stoke and Millwall, has seen the Tigers bound up to fourth in the league. Serej Jakirovic’s side will be looking to continue their momentum and extend their grip on an unlikely play-off berth.

The return from injury of OLI MCBURNIE will be key in this. The 29-year-old scored after just four minutes on his return off the bench against Wrexham, before scoring again off the bench against Millwall. He was rewarded with a start against West Brom, scoring the only goal of the game, taking his total to nine from just ten starts.

The 29-year-old is also averaging 1.44 fouls per 90 and 0.29 cards. HE HATES Sheffield Wednesday, so expect him to be more than up for it.

Cardiff vs Exeter

Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy

Closely fought losses at home to Chelsea and away to Lincoln will have done little to dampen CARDIFF spirts. The Bluebirds still sit three points clear at the top of League One with a game in hand on the chasing pack – mainly owing to their home form.

Brian Barry-Murphy’s side have won eight of their 10 home games, scoring 26 goals in the process. This bet has clicked in all eight of Cardiff's home wins.

Step forward the worst away side in the league – Exeter. The Grecians' financial issues are well documented, and fans of the Devon side feel relegation is a distinct possibility. Gary Caldwell’s side are outside the relegation zone on goal difference, but their away form is a real cause for concern. Exeter have lost eight of their 10 away games – the worst record in the division.

Gateshead vs Carlisle

Carlisle boss Mark Hughes

CARLISLE have hit a little blimp in recent weeks, losing their last two games to Woking and Boreham Wood. Mark Hughes will be keen to ensure that his side don’t lose sight of the title contenders, and the short trip to Gateshead will be seen as the perfect opportunity to turn their fortunes around. The Cumbrians have taken 46 points from 23 games, scoring 40 goals in the process.

They face a Gateshead side with the worst defensive record in the league, sat second bottom of the division. The Head have now lost nine games in a row in all competitions, conceding at least two in all of these. The manner of defeats would’ve frustrated Alun Armstrong, with Gateshead losing at home to Solihull, Morecambe, Boreham Wood and Eastleigh in this run.

To sum up the glum feeling round the Tyne and Wear, a Gateshead fan tweeted “why are Carlisle fans fretting over Boxing Day? Genuinely you could go down Botchergate tomorrow night, pick out 11 randomers on the piss to play the game and you’d still win convincingly. You’ve no idea just how easy this will be.”

Truro vs Yeovil

If at first you fail, try and try again – and that is what it’ll be for me and LUKE MCCORMICK. While Lewis Simper’s odds are no longer backable, I will keep backing McCormick until it makes no sense to do so.

Since Billy Rowley joined the club, he has been given more freedom, playing in a front three against Forest Green. He may not have scored for us last week but he has three goals in three starts under the new gaffer, including a BRACE against Boston, so backing him against the worst side in the league certainly appeals.

York vs Boston United

YORK trounced Truro 4-0 at the weekend, making it seven straight league games where they have scored at least three goals and six from seven where they have scored four. The Minstermen have now scored 59 goals in 22 games and look a hard team to stop at the moment.

Boston will be dreading the trip to Yorkshire, especially given their only win in seven came against strugglers Morecambe. The Pilgrims have conceded 34 goals in 23 games this season so will struggle to contain a potent York attack.

AFC Telford vs Chester

My favourite bet for a while was AFC Telford and Buxton GOALS last weekend and I was stung with the game ending 2-0. The positive heading into this game however is that the Bucks scored the two goals and Buxton were perhaps unlucky not to get on the scoresheet themselves.

Kevin Wilkin’s side are now unbeaten in eight in all competitions, with BTTS clicking in six of these. They’ve scored 38 and conceded 33 in 22, with BTTS landing in 17 of 22 and OVER 2.5 GOALS in eight of 11 at home.

Chester were routinely beaten 3-1 against South Shields, ending their seven-game unbeaten run. The Seals are now just three points off the play-offs and will be chasing yet another finish inside the top seven. Of their ten away games, seven have seen over 2.5 goals, with BTTS landing in 16 of 21.

Eastbourne vs Worthing

I will never get tired of waxing lyrical about WORTHING. Under Adam Hinshelwood, The Rebels are purring. The 5-0 win over Farnborough was their tenth win in 11 under the hometown hero, with the one loss coming away at Torquay – a game in which Worthing scored two goals. Since the 4-1 loss to Forest Green in the cup, Worthing have scored 2+ GOALS in 13 straight games.

Eastbourne Borough surprised many by beating Dover 5-2 – a result that highlights the chaotic nature of Tommy Widdrington sides. Boro’ and Worthing were competing for the title last year, with both sides missing out in the play-offs but The Sport now find themselves languishing in the relegation zone.

Since Widdrington has come in, they’ve conceded 2+ in 10 of 13, so it looks a real mismatch at either end of the pitch.

It is a game I am going to – despite saying every year I will not be going back to Eastbourne.

Odds correct at 16:40 GMT (24/12/25)

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