NPL preview | Top two on the road as chasing pack prepare to do battle

There are 10 games to be played this weekend - one on Friday night and nine on Saturday. Guiseley and FC United of Manchester are not in league action, due to the former making it through to the FA Cup first round proper.

Starting the weekend two points clear at the top are Redcar Athletic, who will travel to Hyde United on Saturday afternoon.

The table-topping Steelmen saw their three-match winning run ended last week following a 2-2 draw with Guiseley, and they'll be hoping normal service can be resumed when they face off against a Hyde outfit looking to end a run of five league games without a win.

Should Redcar drop points, victory would be enough to see Cleethorpes Town end the weekend top of the division. 

The Owls travel to Lancaster City looking to extend a fine start to the season away from home which has yielded just one defeat in seven - the only setback coming in their previous away outing at Guiseley.

Also on the road this weekend are fourth-placed Curzon Ashton, who visit a Stockton Town side keen to put further distance between themselves and the bottom four.

Curzon's form on the road has been rather inconsistent, with four wins and four defeats to show from their opening eight away league games.

Victory is required at The Giant Axe if they're to move above Guiseley in the league, and potentially as high as second depending on Cleethorpes' result.

Two of the more intriguing fixtures of the weekend see both Warrington clubs face off against sides in the play-off places.

Warrington Rylands host fifth-placed Gainsborough Trinity, who, from their last six games on the road, have won five and drawn the other.

Saying that, the Blues' form on home soil has been pretty impressive, with 16 points collected from a possible 21.

As for Rylands' local rivals Warrington Town, a trip to sixth-placed Avro awaits.

The Yellows ended their four-game wait for a win with victory at Ashton United in midweek, and they'll hope to repeat the trick this time around, against an Avro side that have collected just one league win in four since the appointment of Ben Hardcastle.

The side currently occupying the final play-off spot, Workington, will go in search of their third straight win when Ashton United make the trip to Cumbria.

The Robins are 12 games without a win in the league, and another setback on Saturday could se them drop into the bottom four as a result.

Elsewhere, Bury travel to basement side Bamber Bridge and Emley, who have won three of their last four in the league, prepare to do battle against Whitby Town.

The weekend's action actual begins on Friday night in Leicestershire as Quorn welcome Alfreton Town to Farley Way.

Quorn are six games unbeaten and climbing up the table quickly. Another win under the lights would take them to within two points of Alfreton, who come into the latest round of fixtures in the top half.

The final game of the weekend sees two of the sides currently in the relegation zone, Leek Town and Ilkeston Town, meet at the F. Ball Community Stadium.

Leek have lost their last three in the league, whereas Ilkeston have earned back-to-back wins and clean sheets, continuing their upturn in form since the appointment of Ryan Hindley as their new manager.

All games will kick off at 3pm, unless stated otherwise.

Fixtures - Friday 6 November

• Quorn vs Alfreton Town (7:45pm KO)

Fixtures - Saturday 7 November

• Avro vs Warrington Town
• Bamber Bridge vs Bury
• Emley vs Whitby Town
• Hyde United vs Redcar Athletic
• Lancaster City vs Cleethorpes Town
• Leek Town vs Ilkeston Town
• Stockton Town vs Curzon Ashton
• Warrington Rylands vs Gainsborough Trinity
• Workington vs Ashton United

Check out the latest fixtures and results from across the NPL East Division, NPL Midlands Division and NPL West Division.