Something for the weekend: Vanarama National League

By David Richardson

There may be a reduced schedule in the Vanarama National League this weekend but there's still some cracking matches. We've picked out three for closer inspection...

Bromley vs Dover
This Kent derby is always feisty and it's a fixture that Bromley have come out on top in twice already this season. They won 2-1 at Dover in August and then 3-0 in an FA Cup fourth qualifying replay at home. Bromley had the chance to move up to third on Tuesday night but lost 2-0 at Hayes Lane to ten-man Aldershot Town. Neil Smith's side sit two points off the play-offs in eighth.

Dover have slipped to sixth following two consecutive National League defeats. They've won once in their last five having topped the table a little over two weeks ago. The Whites boast the second best defensive record in the division - conceding just 15 goals in 22 matches - and they're tasked with keeping out a Bromley attack that has scored 33 times.

Solihull Moors vs Leyton Orient
Justin Edinburgh's first game as Leyton Orient manager arguably couldn't be bigger as the O's head to rock bottom Solihull Moors. There have been smalls signs of improvement for Moors under Mark Yates with two draws in their last three. However, sitting eight points adrift of safety and Saturday's opponents, they need to start picking up wins soon.

Orient are three points above the drop although have drastically descended down the table thanks to a run of 14 games without a win. The club's hierarchy appointed Edinburgh on Wednesday in the hope he can draw on his experiences both in this division and the Football League to guide the team to safety.

Torquay United vs Aldershot Town
This fixture has big implications at the very top and bottom of the National League. Torquay claimed successive wins last week - winning at Sutton and then at home against Leyton Orient. Now they look to further close the gap on safety in which they are four points adrift of.

It's a reunion, of sorts, in the opposing dugouts as Gulls manager Gary Owers was the Shots' assistant manager from 2009-11 and guided them to the League Two play-offs in 2010. His assistant, Martin Kuhl, was assistant manager to current Shots boss Gary Waddock during his first spell at Aldershot, winning promotion to the League in 2008. Waddock and Kuhl both left Aldershot for Wycombe Wanderers in 2009.

A battling 2-0 win at Bromley in which Aldershot played with ten men for over half the game lifted them back to the top having been the early pacesetters in August. They've won their last four games in a row and beat Torquay in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round earlier this season.

For more coverage, reaction and some of the best moments from games going throughout the season, head to our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and now Instagram.

Where next?

Gloucester Manager Steps Down After Four Years In Charge Gloucester City manager Tim Harris has resigned this afternoon having totalled over 300 matches at the helm.
Elliott Knows Where Improvements Are Needed For Boston After four games in charge in three competitions, Boston United manager Craig Elliott says he has now had enough time to assess their situation.

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