Football betting tips: Non-league, EFL and FA Cup
League Two - Accrington vs Cheltenham
1.25pts Both Teams To Score and Over 2.5 goals at evens (bet365)
0.5pt Cheltenham to Win & BTTS at 9/2 (bet365)
National League
1.5pts Worthing -1.0 Asian Handicap vs Gateshead at 17/20 (bet365)
0.5pt Worthing -2.0 Asian Handicap vs Gateshead at 5/2 (bet365)
1.25pts Harrogate to win & Over 1.5 goals vs Hornchurch at 20/21 (bet365)
1.5pts BTTS, Over 2.5 Goals & Over 0.5 1st half goal in Southend vs AFC Fylde at 10/11 (bet365)
0.5pt AFC Fylde to Win and BTTS at 11/2 (bet365)
0.5pt Rekeem Harper to score anytime in Barrow vs Wealdstone at 9/2 (bet365)
0.25pt Rekeem Harper to score 2+ goals in Barrow vs Wealdstone at 40/1 (bet365)
FA Cup 3rd qualifying round
1.25pts Real Bedford +0.5 Asian Handicap vs Chesham at evens (bet365)
0.5pt Real Bedford to win at 11/4 (bet365)
1pt Chatham +2.0 Asian Handicap vs Dorking at 5/6 (bet365)
1pt Over 2.5 goals in Chesham vs Real Bedford & Dorking vs Chatham at 5/4 (bet365)
Isthmian Premier Division
1.5pt Welling to beat AFC Whyteleafe at 4/5 (bet365)
1.5pt Over 2.5 Goals in Burgess Hill vs Maldon and Tiptree & Ramsgate vs Carshalton at 8/5 (bet365)
Midweek was not pretty. AFC Fylde and Guiseley stunk up the show – no complaints there. However, after Yeovil were 1-1 after 48 minutes I thought the bet builder would win with ease – both sides missed chances galore in a game that should’ve ended about 4-4.
Bromsgrove BATTERED Leamington but only drew 1-1 to not win for the first time in eight games, while the under 2.5 goals in Hornchurch vs Aldershot lost due to a calamitous Nick Hayes error in the Aldershot net. Still, it wasn’t good enough - hopefully this weekend sees an improvement.
League Two
Accrington vs Cheltenham
If at the start of the season you would’ve told me that Accrington vs Cheltenham had the potential to be the game of the weekend I would’ve laughed at you, but both have been full of entertainment thus far.
Cheltonian Steve Cotterill has worked miracles at the Robins, dragging them to safety last campaign before putting them in the promotion hunt this year. The Robins currently occupy second place, having lost just once all season – a 2-1 defeat at Swindon. Only Barnet have scored more goals than Cheltenham’s 16, yet only Accrington, Oldham, Shrewsbury and Crawley have conceded more. BTTS has clicked in 8/8 games for the visitors.
Accrington haven’t been shy of a goal or two as well. Outside of the playoff places, only Newport County have scored more goals, while no team have conceded more – with BTTS clicking in 6/8. Stanley have won just once this season – a 3-2 win over basement boys Crawley, while Cheltenham have already taken the scalps of Rotherham, Chesterfield, York and Rotherham, as well as taking a point off table toppers Barnet.
Naturally, BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE AND OVER 2.5 GOALS is huge value at odds-against, while we'll also take CHELTENHAM TO WIN AND BTTS.
National League
Gateshead vs Worthing
Gateshead are doomed. Attendances are dwindling, the director has resigned, fans and players can’t stand Lee Cattermole, and the players aren’t being paid. When wage issues happened with Southend, fans and players rallied and the performances were ones to be proud of – I can’t see this happening at Gateshead. Why would they fight for a manager they don’t like when they are not getting paid?
Head’s only point in the last nine came at home to struggling Solihull Moors, while they have lost their last five with their only goal coming in stoppage time during their 6-1 home defeat to Southend.
Worthing come into this six unbeaten, and The Rebels have already beaten two of the pre-season promotion favourites in Hartlepool and Carlisle away from home, while taking points off AFC Fylde and Yeovil – two teams expected to be in and around the playoffs this year. Adam Hinshelwood doesn’t relent – he wants to win and win big. If the away side get an early goal – expect the flood gates to open, so taking WORTHING on the -1.0 and -2.0 ASIAN HANDICAP appeals.
Harrogate vs Hornchurch
HARROGATE TO WIN AND OVER 1.5 GOALS is a bet that won routinely last time I put it forward, with the hosts coming out 4-1 winners over Eastleigh. If it isn’t broken why fix it? The Sulphurites sit second in the division after a 1-0 win at struggling Hartlepool in midweek. At home, they boast the best record in the division, taking 13 points from six, scoring 17 goals in the process and at least two in five of those.
Hornchurch have taken 12 of their 18 points at home, with teams struggling to deal with their unique ground. However, newly promoted through the National South playoffs, naturally the Urchins would struggle on the road, losing the last three on their travels, conceding seven without reply. They did sneak wins at Barrow and Boston (2-1 and 3-2) but were also battered 4-1 by Carlisle – perhaps a sign of things to come when facing the divisions big hitters away.
Southend vs AFC Fylde
Yes, I am going back in on Fylde after they’ve bled me dry in the last two articles. Away from home, they have been the second-best side in the division, taking 15 points from a possible 18, with their only loss coming in a freak game at Woking where they conceded two stoppage time goals to lose 3-2. They have taken some big scalps in Yeovil (4-1) and Harrogate (2-1) and seem to play their best football away from the pressures of Mill Farm.
Speaking of pressure, no team or manager are under more pressure to get the job done this year than Southend and Kieron Dyer. The Shrimpers are far too big for this division yet have been stuck here for five seasons now. This could perhaps explain their slight struggles at Roots Hall, losing to Kidderminster and Barrow, scraping past Scunthorpe 1-0 and needing to come from two goals down to beat Yeovil 3-2.
Southend have also kept just one clean sheet this season, with BTTS landing in 10 of 11 – their games have averaged just shy of four goals per match. Roots Hall has also seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals click in the last four. AFC Fylde have seen BTTS land in eight of 11, with BTTS and over 2.5 clicking in five of six, so a repeat seems likely here and to bump the price of BTTS AND OVER 2.5 GOALS we'll add a 1ST HALF GOAL.
Barrow vs Wealdstone
Barrow were perhaps the most physical and dirty team I’ve seen play at this level, looking to kick Worthing off the park in the 2-2 draw.
Adam Murray focused on the basics - get the ball long and win your duels. It took a while to get going but it looks to be clicking for the Bluebirds now who have won three in a row.
A big reason for this is the reintroduction of REKEEM HARPER – once pined as the next big thing for West Brom. The commanding box-to-box midfielder has been deployed just off Alex Reid in the last three games, scoring in all three so looks worth chancing at 9/2 TO SCORE ANYTIME as well as 40/1 TO SCORE 2+ GOALS.
FA Cup 3rd qualifying round
Chesham vs Real Bedford
One league separates Chesham and REAL BEDFORD, but I fancy the visitors to record an ‘upset.’ The Pirates were minutes away from a fourth successive promotion until late heartbreak saw Spalding edge the playoff final.
There has been no hangover for Rob Sinclair’s side who have won all nine in the league so far, scoring 29 goals in the process, with OVER 2.5 GOALS clicking in seven of nine – the exceptions two 2-0 wins. Their front-footed approach does leave space in behind, so a goal heavy positive away result is expected.
Chesham have had a poor start to the season, with the absence of key defender Connor Stevens felt. The Generals sit just one point clear of the relegation spaces, with Ebbsfleet having five games in hand. Their only three league victories have come against struggling AFC Totton, ten men Horsham and whipping boys Walton & Hersham, while they have conceded 19 goals so far – over 2.5 goals has clicked in eight of 10 and in the last seven straight.
We'll back the visitors to avoid defeat by backing +0.5 ASIAN HANDICAP, while placing a smaller bet on the straight AWAY WIN.
Dorking vs Chatham
Name a more toxic love story than Dorking & the FA Cup. Marc White puts so much emphasis on the world’s best cup-competition, desperate for a run to line the club coffers – yet they’ve never made the first round. They needed extra time in the replay to edge past Step Four Southall, after a 2-2 away draw, before a 5-4 win at Meadowbank. I think White puts too much pressure on his side in this competition which ultimately sees them crumble.
CHATHAM sit 12th in the Isthmian Premier Division after losing in the playoffs last year. The Chats have had a mixed start to the season but will look to push on after beating National South strugglers Slough 0-1 in the last round. While beating the Wanderers may be a tricky task, the +2.0 ASIAN HANDICAP gives us a safety blanket – especially with Dorking’s leaky defence.
Goals in Dorking games go hand in hand, with their last six games seeing 36 goals. The Wanderers are notoriously poor at the back, so the visitors will be licking their lips going forward. Seven of their eight league games have seen at least three goals, with Kevin Hake’s side scoring in all bar one game.
Isthmian Premier Division
Welling vs AFC Whyteleafe
I was a bit surprised at the 4/5 price about a WELLING WIN. Trumpet tooting time, but I am on Welling to win the league at 40/1, so I have been keeping a keen eye on The Wings this campaign. Ryan Maxwell oversaw the great escape last season and has his side three points off the top with a game in hand, winning all five home games, conceding just once.
They host newly promoted AFC Whyteleafe at Park View Road. The visitors sit inside the relegation zone after nine games and just six points. The Leafe lost their opening three away games by an 11-2 aggregate score, before scraping a 0-0 draw at fellow newcomers Leatherhead. With such a poor away record, the Surrey side will be dreading their visit to Kent.
Burgess Hill vs Maldon & Tiptree & Ramsgate vs Carshalton
It wouldn’t be a non-league article without goals in the Isthmian Premier Division – my favourite league to bet on - with an OVER 2.5 GOALS DOUBLE proposed.
Burgess Hill are a side I expect to surprise a few and climb up the league and their home form will be crucial – they are unbeaten at Leylands Park. Crucially, all four games have seen at least three goals.
Maldon & Tiptree are a shambles. Ownership issues persisted over the summer after promotion, and while they are under new stewardship now, things aren’t looking much better on the pitch. The Jammers are outside the relegation zone with three wins from nine, but their 26 goals conceded is the second most in the league and they have lost four league games in a row – losing 5-1 two games on the bounce. Seven of nine have seen OVER 2.5 GOALS – the exceptions a 2-0 loss to Ramsgate and a smash-and-grab 1-0 victory over Aveley – a game in which the visitors squandered an unbelievable amount of chances.
Ramsgate games are averaging just shy of four goals, with six of eight seeing OVER 2.5 GOALS. Only Enfield Town have scored more than The Rams, who are always a team to rely on for gaols – especially at home where they have 12 from four.
Carshalton sit five points ahead of Saturday’s hosts, with their 3-2 win at Maldon & Tiptree arresting a run of three straight league defeats – conceding three in all of them. The Robins have seen over 2.5 click in six of nine – the exception being three 2-0 wins – showing their strength in attack. Steven Bates' side have scored at least two goals in seven of nine, while the hosts have hit this mark in six of eight. If either side has their shooting boots on, the goals should flow at Southwood Stadium.
Odds correct at 15:30 BST (1/10/26)
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