With the Skrill Conference Premier season building to a climax, a climax that could see as many as EIGHT teams (assuming Cambridge and Luton aren’t caught) fighting out for the final three play-off spots, where else around the league are we looking today?
Obviously, Halifax are travelling down to Nuneaton in a game that will see seventh take on eight, but that’s been previewed elsewhere.
Grimsby, currently in third and having played 38 games, could all-but secure their place in the post-season lottery if they win their two games in hand, and pull themselves within a point of Cambridge. Their game today is against Kidderminster who are unbeaten in their last six games, but have drawn their last three. Whilst it’s not outside the realms of possibility that they could sneak into the playoffs, a loss today could see them fall further behind the pack.
Braintree, having survived their three game, 1,300+ mile road trip four points better off, welcome a Salisbury side that haven’t won since February 18th, where a brace from Dan Fitchett was enough to secure all three points. A rare bit of recent good news for Salisbury is that their game against the Harriers saw them break their own attendance record, as 2,217 fans turned up at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.
Currently occupying the precarious fifth in the table is Gateshead, who’ve won four of their last five games, including Barnet and Braintree. They play a Tamworth side that look destined for relegation, now without a win in six, and just a point for their efforts in that time.
Alfreton, beaten by Town on BT Sport of course, better the Shaymen by a solitary point, and today host Welling who have nothing but pride to play for as their season comes to a close.
The last of the fixtures involving teams with a realistic shot of the play-offs is a Martin Allen-led Barnet facing a Forest Green Rovers side that has fallen drastically off the pace in the last two games, as they lost both and others around them picked up valuable points.
At the wrong end of the table, Southport aren’t quite out of the woods there, their 4-0 home defeat to Braintree has them perched a mere four points from trouble and their task isn’t going to be made much easier by a visit to Cambridge this afternoon.
Despite Hyde’s woes, they’ve a real chance of picking up another point or three as they travel to the Deva Stadium to face a Chester side that managed to win just two of their eight games in March.
Things are looking bleak for Hereford in terms of relegation, as their last victory came against Salisbury back on January 25th. However, it’s not all bad news for the Bulls because it’s expected that their game today against Woking will raise the last £8,000 needed to avoid a winding-up order from HMRC.
Elsewhere, Lincoln City host a Dartford side that knows a win could propel them as high as 19th, Champions-elect Luton take on Aldershot, who, like Dartford could go as high as 19th, and Wrexham host Macclesfield.
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