Football betting tips: Non-league and EFL
Championship: Hull vs Ipswich (19:45)
1pt Marcelino Nunez and Joe Gelhardt 2+ shots each at 15/8 (bet365)
0.5pt Nunez and Gelhardt 3+ shots each at 19/2 (bet365)
0.5pt Nunez and Gelhardt 4+ shots each at 33/1 (bet365)
National North/South (all 19:45)
1pt BTTS and over 2.5 goals in AFC Fylde vs Macclesfield at 10/11 (bet365)
1.5pts Merthyr to beat Leamington and over 1 goal at evens (bet365)
1pt Salisbury to beat Maidenhead at 13/8 (bet365)
1pt Over 1.5 Scarborough goals vs Alfreton at 5/6 (bet365)
1pt BTTS and over 2.5 goals in Torquay vs Worthing at 10/11 (bet365)
With no international break until March the British footballing calendar is unrelenting. Weekends and midweeks alike will be packed full of pure footballing goodness, so get ready to see more of me digitally.
While many punters and avid football watchers are excited to get stuck into the European fixtures, I have cast my eye closer to home and picked out some stand out bets from England.
Hull vs Ipswich
- Kick-off: Tuesday, 19:45 GMT
- TV: Sky Sports+
- Live odds, form and stats
While the majority of this article highlights standout non-league prices, it was hard to ignore two of my favourite players for shots doing battle in East Yorkshire.
Joe Gelhardt looks settled in his second loan spell with Hull and is a man filled with confidence, scoring in six of his last seven starts and only blanking against Derby. The 23-year-old is being deployed off the right, giving him scope to cut in and fire. Without the ‘sub on play on’ feature, he is averaging 2.92 shots per 90, registering at least two shots (with super sub) in 12/14, 3+ in 7/14 and 4+ in 5/14.
Marcelino Nunez made the controversial decision to swap Norfolk for Suffolk in the summer – a move that came with a lot of noise. His Ipswich career has been peculiar, failing to string a run of starts together despite impressing when called upon.
The 25-year-old has made four starts for the Tractor Boys, having 2,6,3,1 shots, averaging 4.04 shots per 90 when accounting for substitute appearances too.
AFC Fylde vs Macclesfield
- Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
- TV: DAZN
- Live odds, form and stats
Looking to continue their impressive record of never finishing outside the top three in the National League North, AFC Fylde sit second in the league, two points off leaders South Shields. The Coasters suffered a blip at the weekend, losing to Buxton – their second home loss in a row.
Craig Mahon’s side boast the second-best attacking record in the league, scoring 40 goals in 18 games, while their 23 conceded highlights defensive fragilities. BTTS has clicked in 8/9 home games, only failing in a 1-0 win over Bedford. Fylde have scored in all 18 league games this campaign, as well their four cup games.
Macclesfield are looking for back-to-back promotions after storming to the Northern Premier League title last campaign. Robbie Savage has since departed for Forest Green, with John Rooney now at the helm. The Silkmen are 13th but have at least two games in hand on the teams above them so will be looking to climb the table.
Rooney’s side are unbeaten in their last eight in all competitions so come into this full of confidence. They have only failed to score on two occasions this season – in both games they were reduced to 10 men in the first half.
Merthyr vs Leamington
- Kick-off: Tuesday, 19:45 GMT
- Live odds, form and stats
When Merthyr won the Southern Premier League South over strong opposition in Walton & Hersham and AFC Totton, I knew they would be a force to be reckoned with – but not even the most optimistic fan could’ve predicted the start they have made to life in the National League North.
Paul Michael’s side currently sit third in the league after six wins on the bounce. While the wins on their own are impressive, it is the magnitude of the victories that stood out. Chorley, who boast one of the more impressive home records in non-league, were defeated 2-0, before another five victories, scoring 20 goals in the process. This run included a 3-1 win over league leaders South Shields and a recent 6-2 thumping of Alfreton.
From what I’ve read, seen and heard, Merthyr were the best team Alfreton have played for years which is testament to the strength of the hosts. They’ve scored 43 goals this campaign and look impossible to beat, despite having the third worst defensive record in the league.
Visiting South Wales are basement boys Leamington. The Brakes are without a league win in 10 and have taken just four points on their travels. They have conceded 2+ in all of their away losses, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them concede more against a rampant Merthyr.
Salisbury vs Maidenhead
- Kick-off: Tuesday, 19:45 GMT
- TV: DAZN
- Live odds, form and stats
For all the self-praise I’ve given myself on last season’s Eastbourne bet and this year’s Hornchurch tip, Salisbury is looking to be an oversight on my behalf. The Whites were 100/1 outsiders to win the league despite a strong summer of signings, so I gobbled up that price. However, a slow start has seen them languishing in the relegation zone – before wins at Chesham and Enfield and at home to Chelmsford moved them six points clear of the bottom four and just eight points off the play-offs.
Visiting the Raymond McEnhill Stadium are a despondent Maidenhead side with seven losses from eight – a 1-1 draw against strugglers Tonbridge the only time they have avoided defeated since a scrappy 1-0 win over Worthing (pre-Hinshelwood).
While Alan Devonshire’s influence on the Magpies cannot be questioned, I felt the summer was the right time for a change of direction with things at York Road going stale. They have now lost five away games in a row and will be dreading facing a buoyant Salisbury.
Having watched both sides in the flesh this season, I was more impressed with Salisbury, further backing up my willingness to oppose Maidenhead. Saying that, I was stone cold sober for the Salisbury game and many pints deep when I went to Maidenhead – make of that what you will.
Scarborough vs Alfreton
- Kick-off: Tuesday, 19:45 GMT
- Live odds, form and stats
After a fast start to the season, Scarborough went through a blip, losing four league games in a row. Three of these were away, but the heavy nature of defeats will have annoyed Jonathan Greening – as will defeat to Marine, ruining The Seadogs' perfect home record.
They have since beaten Curzon away to arrest the blip. I am choosing to ignore the FA Trophy defeat to Leek as Scarborough seem to have an FA Trophy curse. Some of these home wins have come against formidable opponents such as AFC Fylde (2-1) and Buxton (2-1), so Scarborough will fancy their chances of causing damage against Alfreton.
A 6-2 loss at Merthyr was particularly sour considering the visitors rushed into a 0-2 lead. It summed up Often’s struggling start to the season. They sit in the relegation zone with the worst defensive record in the league and have been at the hands of some thumpings, conceding six at Merthyr and Buxton, three at Radcliffe and five at Oxford City.
Torquay vs Worthing
- Kick-off: Tuesday, 19:45 GMT
- Live odds, form and stats
You didn’t think you could escape a non-league article without a Worthing mention, did you? Since FA Cup defeat to National League Forest Green the Rebels have won nine on the bounce, scoring at least two in all nine, with Adam Hinshelwood’s return to the club going incredibly well. Despite a slower start to the season than anticipated, they now sit third, boasting the second-best attacking record and the league’s best striker.
The team with the best attacking record in the league are Torquay, fresh off a 7-0 win over another south coast Sussex-based side in Eastbourne. This means the last six Gulls league games have seen at least three goals, with BTTS landing in 5/9 at home. Paul Wotton’s side have only failed to score once this season, so a high-scoring encounter is expected in Devon.
Odds correct at 1320 GMT (24/11/25)
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