My pre-season thoughts on this season’s National League campaign are proving rather wide of the mark.

I genuinely thought Wrexham had put everything in place to build on their solid defensive record from last season and start scoring goals.

They now find themselves with Dean Keates back in the dugout after a disastrous start, which sees them battling relegation rather than looking at a promotion push.

I also thought the noises coming out of FC Halifax Town in the summer would spell trouble for a club that has had a yo-yo existence in the last decade. The Shaymen have brushed those fears aside to sit in the upper reaches of the table and look serious contenders for a play-off spot at the least.

So, that’s the unpredictable nature of a division that may be dipping in terms of quality over the last five years, but never fails to deliver excitement. A record-breaking season for attendances in 2018/19 bodes well for the game at top-end of the grassroots pyramid.

My best tips for Non-League Day’s full programme of matches are as follows:

Starting with aforementioned FC Halifax Town, they suffered a double blow in midweek as they were held at home to bottom club Chorley and also had it confirmed a day later that captain Matty Brown will be out for at least another month.

Chorley came to the Shay on Tuesday with a plan to nick a point and it worked, with some resolute defending.

This weekend Halifax are at home to Boreham Wood, who went all the way to Barrow on Tuesday night. The Wood lost 3-1 in Cumbria and with another long road trip, they can be opposed. Back Halifax to get back to winning ways at 5/4.

Barrow 21/20 are a team in superb form. That victory over Boreham Wood made it seven league wins on the bounce.

They can make it eight with success over Dover Athletic, who will be making their longest journey of the season on Non-League Day. Dover have stuttered in recent weeks after a reasonable start. Their 4-0 defeat at Aldershot on Tuesday was a real eye-opener. They can be opposed off the back of that.

Yeovil Town 21/20 got back on track with a win over fellow promotion hopefuls Woking in midweek.

They welcome in-form Harrogate Town to Huish Park, who are unbeaten in six matches, this weekend. Something should give way here though, with Yeovil scoring exactly three goals in four of their last five home matches. Three of those games also came against clear title rivals.

*Odds subject to change.

Read: Alan Alger's dos and don'ts of attending non-league football

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