Well, Bishop's Stortford have paid for not putting a playoff spot in the bag as Newport have momentarily bumped them from the fourth and final playoff spot in the Conference South. Eastbourne are very much alive, too, as they up-ended Bognor Regis 2-0.
Matches to pay attention to this Saturday (last day of Conference regular-season matches):
CONFERENCE NATIONAL
Playoff hopefuls:
-> York City vs. Oxford - huge match for York, time to seal the playoff deal! If they lose, they can still be ousted.
-> Morecambe vs. Grays - Morecambe only needs a draw to clinch a playoff spot, but Grays needs a win to stay clear of relegation!
-> Exeter vs. Southport - you'd think Exeter would win against already-relegated Southport, eh? :p If they don't, that leaves the door open for two teams behind them!
-> Dags 'n' Reds vs. G 'n' N - the champs against the most desperate playoff hunters. This should prove interesting.
-> Burton Albion vs. Rushden & Diamonds - if Burton wins this, they could topple both Exeter and York, depending on how everyone else does.
Bottom-feeders:
-> Altrincham vs. Aldershot - Altrincham MUST win to stay in the Conference National. That said, GO ALDERSHOT!!:gun1:
-> Crawley vs. Kidderminster - if not for the 10-point ding on Crawley, this would be a match of teams with identical win-draw-loss records, but Crawley needs to win this to be sure to stay up.
-> Stafford vs. Forest Green - the Rangers are only two points behind FGFC, but the fact is, they're the one with more to lose from this match as they could easily go under if they lose or even draw - their goal differential is worse than Altrincham, and in a league where that's the determining factor, they ought to be worried, especially after their collapse of late.
-> Cambridge vs. Tamworth - this has to be a win for Cambridge U or they're hooped. But unless Stafford does something huge, if these two get the same result, they're safe.
-> Halifax vs. Stevenage - Halifax needs to win just like the rest, and they probably have the toughest opponent of the five.
(you saw the Grays match earlier
The combination of results is endless, but of the six teams at the bottom, only
one is going to go down. Of course, anything less than a win from Altrincham and they're history.
Saturday's gonna be great
CONFERENCE NORTH
Playoff hunters:
-> Worcester vs. Harrogate - Worcester has to hope everyone else loses to get in, and they have to win their match against playoff hunt rivals Harrogate. Their goal differential is superior to Farsley's, which is all that matters to them besides the final outcome of the other squads' matches.
-> Droylsden vs. Hyde - Hyde have superior goal-diff to Worcester, but they also have a far tougher opponent in top-side Droylsden, who are already going up to the Conference National. Hyde needs to play desperate football to even draw this match, let alone to win it (which is what they have to do to make the playoffs)
-> Blyth Spartans vs. Hinckley - another match against a superior opponent, albeit not by as much. This match is winnable, and a win will knock out Worcester and Hyde immediately, regardless of how anyone else does.
-> Farsley vs. Redditch - the side with the lowest goal-diff just happens to have the easiest opponent on paper. Given that they won't be relegated regardless of the result because Leigh and Worksop can't
both win, Redditch may well just play dead. But they might not, either
Bottom-feeders:
Worksop vs. Leigh - perhaps Redditch doesn't need to worry quite so much given that the result of this determines what the relegation picture looks like. If there's a loser, the loser goes down. If there isn't, Worksop goes down. Simple as that.
CONFERENCE SOUTH
Playoff-hunters:
-> Havant & Waterlooville vs. Fisher - H&W only really need a draw to get the playoff spot, lest Newport and Braintree both win and Bishop's Stortford win by an impossible score :p If they lose to Fisher, on the other hand, the race opens WAY up and they could well be KO-ed by the same three teams.
-> Braintree vs. Eastbourne - if there's a winner to this match, then surely the winner will be in the playoffs. That said, a draw could well eliminate both teams. It's that close! A Braintree win means a definite playoff spot, while an Eastbourne win has all these subject-tos attached :p
-> Newport vs. Cambridge City - Newport has a good chance here, but they have to take advantage or they're going to be on the outside looking in if Bishop's Stortford registers points! Nothing really in this for CCFC.
-> Bishop's Stortford vs. Lewes - they sit back of the final playoff spot by mere goal differential, so these guys have their work cut out for them against Lewes, who, while being eight points back, could still play party-poopers. A draw will only be good enough if Newport loses.
-> Welling vs. Hayes - they're the ultimate long-shot, but Welling can still make the playoffs if Newport, Bishop's Stortford, and Eastbourne all lose, which would also clinch Braintree and H&W their playoff spots. Hayes has its own agenda, though - they have inferior goal diff to Basingstoke, so if Thurrock wins their match, guess this - who's first in line if Hayes and Basingstoke both lose?
Bottom-feeders:
-> Basingstoke vs. Salisbury - a must-win for Basingstoke, but they're on the road, and against the only team that has actually
clinched a playoff spot. Again, desperate football is needed. No messing around, no foul trouble, just good, quick football.
-> Thurrock vs. Sutton - all Thurrock needs a draw should Hayes lose against Welling, which given Welling's potential for a last-gasp playoff push, will probably happen. But just to be on the safe side, they should go for the win. Because if they lose or draw, and Hayes wins, their season's toast because of Basingstoke's superior goal differential. The only way Basingstoke can be eliminated is if both Hayes and Thurrock get superior results.
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