- Alfreton have won two and lost three of their last five, home record 3-1-2.
- Stratford have won one, drawn two and lost one of their away games, scoring 4 goals in 4.
- Stratford's last ten in all competitions: W2, D4, L4.
Different styles clash in Alfreton
The Reds host The Bards on Saturday, as two National League North sides clash for a place in the 2026 FA Cup qualification phase. Alfreton Town are the 3/4 favourites with Stratford Town priced at 279/100 for the win, with the draw coming in at 16/5.
Alfreton are on the back of a good result, coming off a 4-0 home win over Hyde United and a 1-4 away win at Whitby Town. Billy Heath has his side set up to be compact and pragmatic, which has often been good enough to nick games of late. They have won four, drawn one and lost five of their last ten in all competitions, a mixed form book but enough to keep them in the running.
Stratford, on the other hand, have been in poor form of late, winning none of their last five, with two draws and three defeats. Paul Davis has set his side up to play with width and intent, using their overlapping full-backs and quick runners to try and carve out openings. They have been unable to see off Real Bedford (6-1 away defeat), Needham Market (1-2 at home) and Racing Club Warwick (0-0 draw) in their past three fixtures.
Stratford can make Alfreton earn a win
The favourite tag certainly sits with Alfreton here, but I fancy Stratford to make a contest of this cup game, so I'm going for the away win on the double chance. I think this clash of styles could be a tasty one, as Alfreton will look to soak up the pressure before breaking forward, while Stratford will be looking to stretch the pitch and play on the flanks.
The odds suggest goals are likely in this one, over 2.5 at 13/25 and both teams to score at 53/100. Alfreton's home record in all competitions is 3-1-2, while they've scored 2.17 goals per game and conceded an average of 1.33, which makes a home win seem more likely in this game.
Siyabonga Ligendza has been the spark for Alfreton, scoring 4 of their 10 goals across their last 5 games.
