Football betting tips: Non-league and EFL
League Two: Tranmere vs Cheltenham (15:00)
1.5pts Cheltenham +1.0 Asian Handicap at 3/4 (bet365)
0.5pt Cheltenham to win at 17/4 (bet365)
National League: Sutton vs Halifax (15:00)
2pts Over 2.5 goals at 5/6 (bet365)
0.5pt Over 3.5 goals at 2/1 (bet365)
0.5pt Over 4.5 goals at 5/1 (bet365)
National League: York vs Morecambe (15:00)
1.5pts Over 0.5 first half goals for York, Over 0.5 second half goals for York and Over 2 goals in the match for York at 5/6 (bet365)
FA Trophy: Folkestone vs AFC Totton (15:00)
1.5pts Over 2.5 goals at 4/5 (bet365)
1.5pts Folkestone to win (draw no bet) at evens (bet365)
FA Trophy: Harborough vs Enfield (15:00)
1pt Harborough to win (draw no bet) at evens (bet365)
FA Trophy: Dorking vs Eastbourne (15:00)
1pt Over 2.5 goals at 4/5 (bet365)
Multiples
0.25pt Harborough and Folkestone to win, over 2.5 goals in both Sutton vs Halifax and Dorking vs Eastbourne at 21/1 (bet365)
0.25pt Cheltenham to win, Over 4.5 York goals, Over 4.5 goals in Sutton vs Halifax at 141/1 (bet365)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair
The international break is a welcome one for me.
I normally end up going on holiday (writing this from Germany) and I get a break from watching Brighton. It also means non-league takes centre-stage and the boys at Sporting Life have dragged me out of hibernation to provide my best bets.
I wasn’t just restricted to football below the EFL though, I did in fact have free reign. However, those divisions continue to miff me, so I’ve stuck loyal to my non-league roots bar siding with one League Two underdog.
Tranmere vs Cheltenham
I was going to neglect the EFL again until I stumbled across this bet, with Tranmere way too short for me. I was expecting the hosts to obviously be favourites, but I was expecting an odds-against price so for them to be about 4/6 I have to get stuck in and oppose.
Things are getting toxic at Prenton Park. Since relegation in 2020, Rovers have regressed every season, finishing 7th, 9th, 12th, 16th and 20th. While they should improve on last season’s finish, fans are getting impatient and rightly.
Despite keeping them up last season, many fans feel the appointment of Andy Crosby as permanent manager was the cheap option and the start to the campaign certainly backs that claim.
Sat in 18th just three points clear of safety, no side has won fewer games. They also struggle at home, winning just one game in front of their own supporters – a 4-0 win over Shrewsbury in their first home game. Tranmere also accumulated just 0.96 xG that afternoon so can count themselves fortunate to have scored that many.
CHELTENHAM are in 22nd and will leapfrog their hosts if they win.
Steve Cotterill’s return to the club has given new found hope of survival, picking up eight points in four league games, as well as shocking League One Bradford in the FA Cup.
The wily campaigner looks to be getting the best out of the abundance of attacking talent at his disposal. Jordan Thomas, Ethon Archer, Isaac Hutchinson and the newly acquired Hakeeb Adelakun is an embarrassment of riches for a side battling relegation, so the Robins have many ways to hurt an out-of-sorts Tranmere at a chunky price.
Sutton vs FC Halifax
Chris Agutter had Worthing, a team that have now won six in a row, in the bottom half of the table yet managed to get a job in the division above at Sutton. I am not bitter I swear.
To his credit, Agutter is a good manager but overthinking and defensive fragility continues to plague him. While he drew 0-0 at Braintree in his opener, he perhaps didn’t have enough time to stamp his style on the side. Since then, they have played eight games, with OVER 2.5 GOALS landing in 8/8, OVER 3.5 in 6/8 and OVER 4.5 in 4/8.
While Halifax games are averaging just shy of three goals a game, 7/10 away games have seen three or more goals click. With two losses on the bounce, Adam Lakeland’s side will be looking to bounce back against a defensively fragile Sutton defence.
York vs Morecambe
York are exceptionally good. Morecambe are exceptionally awful. I feel that’s a good starting point for the justification.
Rochdale had the chance to go top with two games in hand in midweek – instead York blew them away, cruising to a 4-1 victory thanks to three goals in 13 blistering second half minutes. This means the Minstermen are now the top scorers in the top five divisions in England. Who do they face on Saturday you ask? The side with the worst defensive record.
Morecambe are perhaps unlucky not to have more points but the Shrimpers are weak mentally and Ashvir Singh Johal is struggling to implement his intricate style of play. As a result, Morecambe games are bonkers and see goals galore. They have conceded 44 in 17, conceding four at Aldershot and Solihull Moors, three against Forest Green, Boreham Wood, Wealdstone, Scunthorpe and Southend and five against Truro and Gateshead.
York this season have scored 3+ on eight occasions and 4+ on six, including their last three. It could be a cricket score on Saturday and while the bookies have been stingier than a Yorkshiremen at the boozer, adding YORK TO SCORE IN BOTH HALVES appeals.
Dorking vs Eastbourne
- Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 GMT
Eastbourne swapped Matt Gray for Tommy Widdrington with the Sports unable to recapture last year’s form that saw them miss out on the title on the final day. Widdrington’s spell has been inconsistent so far but what you can guarantee from his sides is goals.
I tried to be a trend setter and get ahead of the curve by backing OVER 2.5 GOALS in his opening game, despite the poor stats to back it. I was left with egg on my face with Boro scraping a 0-1 winner. To rub salt in the wounds, I have not backed this bet in the next six with it winning in every single one. We all know what happens here don’t we?
Dorking are notoriously good for goals. Despite a lower average this season, Wanderers still have the capability for high-scoring games, as shown in their 3-2 loss to Aldershot in the FA Cup. Five of eight home league games have seen at least three goals, as well as all three games at Meadowbank in the cup.
Folkestone vs AFC Totton
- Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 GMT
With the pits of money flying about in non-league, the gap is forever shortening between divisions – shown by AFC Totton, Horsham and Merthyr taking step two in their stride. Another side who may be capable of this when they go up is FOLKESTONE – I simply can’t see who stops them at the moment.
Invicta are one point clear at the top of the table with two games in hand and will only extend this gap in the coming weeks. Jay Saunders’ side have a lot in terms of resources at this level but unlike some of the other struggling sides like Billericay, he is making the most of it.
Folkestone come into this game off the back of an 8-1 home win over Cray Wanderers, making it five wins from six at home, scoring 24 goals in the process. The only points they have dropped at Cheriton Road came against Dulwich Hamlet – a 2-2 draw in which the hosts played the last 25 minutes with 10 men.
They have also beaten National League South sides Maidstone (2-0) and Horsham (3-2) in cup competitions so have previous in taking out higher-placed sides.
Because of their sheer goalscoring ability, all six home league games have seen OVER 2.5 GOALS click, as well as 5/6 of their cup games.
AFC Totton come into this off the back of back-to-back losses – at home to Ebbsfleet and 4-0 away at Worthing. The Stags are still exceeding expectations in eighth, but their away form will be a worry, losing their last three away games conceding 12 goals. Of their 16 league games this season, 10 have seen at least three goals – the second most in the division.
Harborough vs Enfield
- Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 GMT
I think I may be a bit biased towards HARBOROUGH. They did most of their business early and signed a host of players far too good for the level. I then interviewed Mitch Austin – someone I cannot speak highly enough of. Because of that, I always look out for their results (not just because I have a fair chunk on them to win the league).
Harborough couldn’t repeat last year’s FA Cup heroics, losing to National League side Altrincham in the qualifiers, but will look to progress in the FA Trophy. The Bees are yet to lose in the league this season and have also been impressive in cup qualifiers. In Worksop and Peterborough Sports, Austin’s side have already beaten two step two sides and will fancy their chances of doing it again.
Enfield’s loss at home to struggling Salisbury in midweek was their fifth in a row, making it eight losses from their last nine. The Towners have struggled on the road, taking just five points from nine. With the pressure on them to not bow out of the trophy to a step threewo side, Gavin MacPherson’s side could make it nine losses from ten.
Odds correct at 1550 GMT (13/11/25)
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