Two sides in the bottom half of the table face each other on Saturday, as Harrogate Town travel to Walsall. Both the home teams won last year, but the Saddlers have only beat this weekend's opponent once in the last six attempts.
Walsall
Walsall have lacked consistency this season, which mainly comes down to their away form, an issue that Mat Sadler will be desperate to address. After 16 matches, his side are placed in 15th on 20 points, with 12 of that tally coming at the Bescot Stadium. The Saddlers have only been defeated once at home in seven games, which is down to their solid defence who have conceded just one goal per game on average whilst hosting. They have also only failed to score in one home match. That said, their overall goals scored and conceded per game average stands at 1.5 and 1.75.
Last weekend, Walsall had an opportunity to boost the confidence amongst the squad, as they faced Isthmian South East side, Sheppey United FC. Ross Tierney starred, scoring and making seven key passes, with his side picking up a 4-1 victory despite going a goal behind.
Harrogate
The Suplhurites have adopted an all or nothing approach this season, as after 16 matches they have only featured in one draw. This has earned them a place in 19th, winning six matches but also suffering nine defeats. Luckily for Simon Weaver's team, they perform much better on the road than they do at home and they actually have the fifth best away record in League Two, despite having the second worst home record. Harrogate struggle in the final third (0.9 goals per game) and thrive defensively, which is potentially why they have found more success on their travels as the onus is on the home side to attack.
Harrogate's most recent match was a 5-1 victory over Norther Premier League side, Marine AFC. The Suplhurites controlled the tie throughout and regained the lead instantly after the 26th minute equaliser.
Verdict?
Both teams have conceded in their last seven matches, which makes both teams to score a likely outcome. This tie being played at the Bescot Stadium actually suits both clubs, which may lead to a tight, cagey affair.
The final prediction is Walsall 1-1 Harrogate, with a draw priced at 11/4.
