Page 10 - Cheltenham Saracens FC v Moreton Rangers 020123

By Jon Couch
NEW year, new beginnings, as the saying goes, but for the fortunate few
whose football seasons remain firmly on track, that’s not always a necessity.
Managers tell us that momentum is everything in football so if your team
are sitting pretty on top of the table when Big Ben chimes to signal the start
of 2023 then the chances are they must be doing something right.
Here is our list of pacesetters going into the new calendar year and our
summary of who they need to fend off to stay there.

National League
Notts County
Of the last 22 Christmas Day leaders, 13 have gone on to become
champions.
Notts County will hope to make it 14 with Luke Williams’ side seriously
impressing in their 24 games so far, not least in their 4-1 Boxing Day win
over Oldham Athletic.
But they have Wrexham breathing down their neck with a game, four points
behind with a game in hand, while Chesterfield have two games spare,
albeit 11 points back.
The Spireites led the way at this stage last season. Eventual champions
Stockport County were tenth. There’s a long way to go.

National League North
Darlington
Brackley were at the summit last Christmas and didn’t go onto win the
league either, or promotion. They’re in the mix once again, just a point
behind Alun Armstrong’s side with a game in hand.
The Quakers had 22 points from 17 games on December 25 last year, this
time it’s 44 from 23.
A home defeat by Scarborough Athletic tightened things up even more with
the Seadogs moving into third, two points adrift of their north-east rivals.
Chester are three points behind, as are King’s Lynn Town, who have four
games in hand over the leaders.

National League South
Dartford
The Darts shot to the top of the table by virtue of their mighty impressive
4-1 win at previous incumbents Ebbsfleet United.
In truth, Alan Dowson’s men have played three games more than their Kent
rivals but Fleet will be fearing the worst having also been top at Christmas
last year and failed to win promotion.
Havant & Waterloovile lurk menacingly just two points back. Chelmsford
City are fourth and eight points off Fleet.