Seeing as our game at Barnet is off and I’m at home like many other Shots fans, I decided to do a live articel, updating the goals as they happen in GAMEWEEK 9.

First off, let’s look at the fixtures tonight, info provided by the official VL website:

Barrow vs. Hartlepool United

Barrow are currently 21st in the table having taken seven points from their opening eight matches.  The Bluebirds took four points from their two meetings with Hartlepool United last season, keeping clean sheets on both occasions.  Two wins and a draw from their last three matches has propelled Hartlepool up into ninth, on eleven points – Gime Toure is just one off the leading scorer in the division so far this season, having netted five times already.

Got a PM from a Barrow fan living in London who’s going Saturday, gonna meet up for pre-match libation at the Crimea. He reckons we’re gonna win 3-2 in the same manner as they lost at Woking last time out. Shots to score THRICE in one game?!

Chesterfield vs. FC Halifax Town

Chesterfield are still searching for a first league win of the season. The Spireites have only lost three of their eight matches to date though, drawing five. Halifax Town are second in the table after six wins and just one defeat to their name so far this campaign. The Shaymen have won three on the bounce, scoring eight in the process.

Reckon it would be nice as a draw as we aim to overtake a few on our rise up the table.

Stockport County vs. AFC Fylde

Sixth placed Stockport County have taken twelve points from their last five games. Matches featuring the Hatters this season have produced the third fewest goals in the division so far. AFC Fylde began the season with two wins in their first three games. But a run of five matches since without victory, sees them in 14th place. Last season’s top scorer Danny Rowe is the club’s leading marksmen again this time around, with three so far.

Keeping an eye on this one as we’re off to Edgeley Park soon. You’d reckon a home banker with Fylde showing of late that they ain’t really all that.

Woking vs. Torquay United

League leaders Woking made it six wins on the spin at the weekend when they beat Bromley 3-2. Jake Hyde’s brace in that match takes his season tally to six in the league, the division’s highest scorer. Torquay United have won three and lost three of their opening eight matches, leaving them in 10th spot. The Gulls’ Jamie Reid is joint-second highest scorer with five goals to his name.

When I did the piece about Torquay’s fan forum, this was the game where most of them were saying that if we beat Woking then surely they could, I guess a lot of us wouldn’t mind that happening tonight!

Wrexham vs. Maidenhead United

Four matches without a victory has left Wrexham in 16th place in the league, with nine points. The Red Dragons have won all four of their previous meetings with Maidenhead United, keeping clean sheets in three of those matches. Five wins from their opening eight games sees Maidenhead United fourth in the table with 16 points. The Magpies have the joint best defensive record to date, having conceded just six goals.

We’re all waiting for the Maidenhead bubble to burst aren’t we and with Wrexham visiting us soon, got to keep tabs on their form.

Other games include Dover vs Ebbsfleet, Eastleigh vs Boreham Wood, Harrogate vs Chorley, Notts County vs Solihull Moors and Yeovil vs Sutton United.

I’ll be using a mix of Sy Sports News and BBC feed to create a timeline of goals as they happen? Why? Because I’m football crazy and I’ve really nothing better to do on a Tuesday night… I mean, does anyone still watch Eastenders? I’ll be ably sponsored by a few real ales along the way – been ages since I’ve had a Bishop’s Finger.

AS IT STANDS

Currently watching England and Norway women’s football but I’ll be back for kick off in tonight’s Vanarama League Soccer Special (always wanted to be in Jules’s chair!)

TEAM NEWS

Barrow v Hartlepool

Barrow: (4-3-3): Dixon; Brough, Taylor (c), Hird, Rooney, Hardcastle, Kay, Platt, Dyson, Harrison, Barry

Hartlepool: (3-5-1-1): Killip; Cunningham, Raynes, Kerr; Kitching, Mafuta, Kennedy, Noble, Kioso; Donaldson (c); Toure

Chesterfield v FC Halifax Town

Halifax: Johnson, Duckworth, Clarke, Staunton, Binnom-Williams, Nolan, C King, Earing, Allen, McAlinden, Sho-Silva.

Woking v Torquay United