NPL preview | In-form Workington host league leaders as Redcar eye top spot
There are six NPL Premier Division games to enjoy this Saturday, with a meeting between two in-form sides headlining the bill.
The featured game of the weekend comes at the Fibrus Community Stadium as Workington welcome league leaders Cleethorpes Town to Cumbria.
Cleethorpes top the division by a point heading into October, after picking up 23 from a possible 30 in the early weeks of the season.
However, Saturday will see them come up against a red-hot Workington side that have won six games in a row in the league - a run which means they come into the latest round of fixtures fifth in the table.
Billy Barr's side have also won their last three in a row at home and, in Luke Hunter, boast one of division's in-form men in front of goal.
Defeat for Cleethorpes would see Redcar Athletic climb to the top of the table with a win at home to Alfreton Town.
Redcar are the only side in the division still preserving an unbeaten start in the league, with six wins and four draws to show for their opening 10 games.
Their next assignment comes against an Alfreton side that have lost four of their five away games in the league this season, but did triumph at home to high-flying Guiseley in midweek.
With four of the top seven not in action, Alfreton are one of two sides that could end the weekend in the play-off places - the other being Warrington Rylands.
Also victorious on Tuesday night, Neil Reynolds' Blues will be hoping to extend a fine recent run in the league which has seen them pick up 10 points from the last 12 on offer.
Their next opponents are Emley, who are without a win in six in the league and desperately hoping to get themselves back on track after a promising start to the season on their return to Step 3.
Victory for Lancaster City at home to struggling Ilkeston Town would see them end the weekend level on points with Bury, the side currently in seventh, but it would require an unfathomable goal swing to ensure the Dolly Blues end the weekend in the play-off spots.
Still, Jimmy Marshall's side will hope to build on the positives of a comeback victory at Whitby Town in midweek and earn another three points, against an Ilkeston side that have lost their last six in a row in all competitions and are without a win in 10 games.
Saturday's final two games involve sides in the bottom half of the division.
Quorn and Stockton Town, both of whom could escape the relegation zone with a win, travel to Bamber Bridge and Hyde United respectively.
The Brig only sit outside of the rdrop zone by a point, but will hope to build on a run of home form which has seen them lose just one of their opening five games this season at Irongate.
Quorn, meanwhile, picked up their only league win so far in their previous away game - a 2-0 victory over Ilkeston at the end of August.
Last season's beaten play-off semi-finalists Stockton have struggled in the early weeks of the campaign, though four points from their last two league games suggest that Michael Dunwell's side may be turning a corner.
Next up for the Anchors is a trip to Greater Manchester, to face a Hyde outfit with just one league win in their last six.
All games will kick off at 3pm, unless stated otherwise.
Fixtures - Saturday 3 October
- Bamber Bridge vs Quorn
- Hyde United vs Stockton Town
- Lancaster City vs Ilkeston Town
- Redcar Athletic vs Alfreton Town
- Warrington Rylands vs Emley
- Workington vs Cleethorpes Town
Check out the latest fixtures and results from across the NPL East Division, NPL Midlands Division and NPL West Division.