Harborough Town vs Southport Prediction

The force is strong with Harborough Town at home, and the numbers do not lie. In 20 home games, they have won 14, drawn 4 and lost just 2, scoring 2.05 goals per game while conceding only 1. That is a record that speaks for itself, no? Southport, meanwhile, travel with a shadow over them. In 20 away games, they have won 7, drawn 2 and lost 11, conceding 1.95 per game. The gap between these two venue records is wide, and it is the widest crack in the floor of this fixture.

No head-to-head meetings exist on record, so we must look to the present. And the present tells a story. Harborough Town won 3–2 against St Albans City at home just seven days before kickoff, and before that they beat Rushall Olympic 1–0 in the FA Cup. Their last five games show 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses, but the home record of 14 wins in 20 games is the anchor. Southport's last five games are 1 win, 1 draw and 3 losses, with two 0–2 defeats on the road against Worksop Town and Morecambe. They have not kept a clean sheet in their last five matches, and they have failed to score in three of them.

The counter-argument, small as it is, exists. Harborough Town lost 0–3 to Hereford at home four weeks ago and drew 0–0 with AFC Telford United in the same period. Their recent form is not the same as their home record suggests. Southport did draw 2–2 with Spennymoor Town at home two weeks ago, and they beat Morecambe 2–1 at home four weeks ago. There is life in them, even if the away numbers are grim.

Key Points:

• Harborough Town: 14W 4D 2L in 20 home games, 2.05 goals scored per game

• Southport: 7W 2D 11L in 20 away games, 1.95 goals conceded per game

• No head-to-head meetings on record; venue records carry the weight

• Southport lost 3 of their last 5, including two 0–2 away defeats

• Harborough Town won 3–2 at home just 7 days before kickoff

The wise choice, I tell you, is the home win. Harborough Town at 1.62.