The National League Catch-Up: The Wheelbarrow has found its wheel

The National League has always been a wonderful place – home to some of the most unpredictable teams on and off the pitch, and with plenty of frankly ludicrous results and a thoroughly entertaining brand of football to boot, it always makes for joyous viewing.

Notoriously difficult to escape, the National is something of a middling limbo space between the Football League and the depths of the English pyramid. Teams who do find their way into League Two often find they have had to fight so hard to escape non-league that they are often comfortable in the league above, and those who fall from the fourth tier of the English game more frequently sink than swim, drowning in the unpredictable, mirky ocean of semi-professional football.

This has been the case for many teams over recent years, with the likes of Barnet and York City, former League Two staples, struggling in midtable for several seasons running.

Recently relegated Scunthorpe United and Oldham Athletic find themselves near the foot of the table, occupying 20th and 19th place respectively at the time of writing, illustrating just how difficult this level is.

Torquay United, promoted from the National League South back in 2019, made the playoff final just two seasons later, having finished second in the 2020-21 campaign, losing to Hartlepool in dramatic circumstances, falling on penalties after Torquay’s goalkeeper had scored a 95th-minute equaliser to force extra time.

Now, just two years later, the Gulls are propping up the table, having not won a league game since September and having recently lost to current leaders Notts County 4-0.

Speaking of the Nottinghamshire outfit, the Magpies have made a stunning start to this campaign.

As a classic County chant goes: “I had a wheelbarrow, the wheel fell off.” For years, this ditty very effectively, if comedically, described the state of affairs at Meadow Lane. With financial woes off the field sending the club into freefall and having so often disappointed fans with below-par performances on it, the ‘Pies have suddenly found their mojo, with new signing Macaulay Langstaff impressing in particular, with the number nine scoring 17 goals in just 16 appearances.

This, combined with Ruben Rodrigues’ continued brilliance and a stronger midfield game, has propelled County to first place in the National, with only Wrexham within touching distance of them.

The Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney co-owned Welsh side came close to promotion last season, finishing second and losing to eventual playoff winners Grimsby Town in the semi-finals.

The National League is where anyone, truly, can beat anyone

They find themselves in a similar position this year, sitting three points behind Notts in the title race, five points ahead of third-place Chesterfield (who themselves have 31 points).

Wrexham take on Maidenhead United tomorrow evening, with County hosting eighth-placed Bromley as they look to extend their lead at the summit.

At the other end of the table, the aforementioned Torquay are joined by Maidstone United and Gateshead in the bottom three, with Yeovil Town, Scunthorpe, and Oldham all at risk of being dragged into the relegation scrap with just three points separating 23rd from 19th.

After an impressive run to the playoff quarter-finals last season, Halifax Town find themselves struggling for consistency in 18th, having picked up just five wins from 16 games. Altrincham sit above them by virtue of a marginally better goal difference, and Wealdstone sit tentatively in 16th with 19 points, having lost their last five on the bounce.

Wrexham’s next opponents, Maidenhead, come into their clash in mixed form, having won two, lost two, and drawn one of their last five fixtures, leaving them 15th behind Aldershot Town, who have a superior goal difference and are on a strong run that’s seen them win their last three league ties by an aggregate score of 7-1.

Dorking Wanderers, Eastleigh, Dagenham and Redbridge, and York City round out 13th-10th, with just two points between them. Barnet and Bromley are level on 24 points, and Southend United are in the final playoff spot, having recovered from a poor opening to the season to remain unbeaten since mid-September.

Boreham Wood are sixth, but their position looks shaky, as they have won only four games since the end of August. Woking’s run hasn’t been much better, having won just five in that time period from a possible ten, but they remain fifth.

Solihull Moors look the only team outside the top three capable of an outside shot at the title and automatic promotion, but the true test of their credentials will come nearer the turn of 2023, where they will play Wrexham either side of the New Year, and Notts County for a second time before the end of January.

Chesterfield will be hoping to pick up a win in their clash against lowly Gateshead to keep pace at the top, but knowing the National, anything really can happen.

For all the talk of the Premier League being the greatest league in the world, the National League is where anyone, truly, can beat anyone.