Preview: Wealdstone vs. Wrexham - prediction, team news, lineups

Wealdstone take on Wrexham at Grosvenor Vale in the National League this Saturday.

The home side are firmly rooted in mid-table, currently 14th, while the visitors are top of the league after a victory on Tuesday night.

Match preview

Having finished 19th and 16th in their two previous National League campaigns, Wealdstone are where they would have expected to be, not in the relegation picture, but also showing no signs of making a push for the playoffs.

Poor form in recent weeks has ensured that this is the case, with the Stones losing six of their last seven games in all competitions, enduring a torrid October as they lost every single game, other than a 2-1 victory at Aldershot Town.

Not only that, but Stuart Maynard's men have been on the receiving end of some crushing defeats in that time, losing 6-1 at home to Notts County in their last home fixture, before falling to a 4-1 defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge.

Consequently, Saturday's hosts have gone from being outside the playoffs on goal difference alone, to a point where they will need to start turning it around or they may have to start looking over their shoulder.

However, there were signs of a revival in the Stones' last outing, bagging a 1-0 win away at Altrincham courtesy of an Olufela Olomola strike early in the second half.

Wins on home soil have been much harder to come by, however, as Maynard's side have not been victorious at Grosvenor Vale since a 1-0 victory over Halifax Town in August, and things will not get any easier when they welcome the league leaders.

Indeed, Wrexham are now leading the pack in the National League, owing to a remarkable run of form, with just one loss in their last 18 matches, a 1-0 defeat at Notts County at the start of October.

The Welsh side claimed their place at the top of the standings on Tuesday night, defeating Scunthorpe United 3-1 at Glanford Park, with strikers Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer once again getting in on the act.

This centre-forward pairing has been in lethal form in the league this season, notching 24 goals between them, just shy of half of the 50 total goals that the Dragons have scored, a tally that is more than any other side.

Not only that, but the Wrexham backline has also been solid, and they have only conceded more than one goal in a game on two occasions, with three clean sheets in their last four games.

Team News

The Wealdstone team is likely to be unchanged, with Maynard finally finding a winning formula in the victory against Altrincham.

After scoring the winning goal in the last game, Olomola is set to keep his place, accompanied by 21-year-old Micah Obiero in attack, who has started the last four games for the Stones.

Tarryn Allarakhia has featured in all 17 of his side's league games this season, so the midfielder should get the nod again in a supporting role alongside Giovanni McGregor and Alex Dyer.

For Wrexham, manager Phil Parkinson should not tinker too much given the fantastic recent form of his side, with Mullin and Palmer the obvious choices in attack after their goals on Tuesday night.

Bryce Hosannah came in for Anthony Forde against Scunthorpe, after the right-back limped off against Oldham Athletic in an FA Cup clash, and he is set to keep his place in the Dragons' backline.

Centre-back pairing Ben Tozer and Aaron Hayden have been Parkinson's consistent choice this season, and the latter has weighed in with an incredible nine goals, so they should both continue to play.

Wealdstone possible starting lineup:
Howes; Barker, Elerewe, Habergham, Cook, Kinsella; McGregor, Allarakhia, Dyer; Obiero, Olomola

Wrexham possible starting lineup:
Howard; Hosannah, Hayden, Tozer, Tunnicliffe; McFadzean, Jones, Young, Lee; Mullin, Palmer

We say: Wealdstone 0-3 Wrexham

Despite winning in their last match, Wealdstone have been on a very poor run of form prior to that, which does not bode well when coming up against the league leaders. As such, we think Wrexham will win this one with ease.

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