Preview | Play-off race across the NPL

Three teams in the Midlands Division have guaranteed their places in the eliminators, whilst the contests in the East and West Divisions could come down to the wire on the final day of the campaign.

We've taken a closer look at those teams fighting for a top-five spot, and their run-in between now and the end of the season.

NPL East Division

League leaders Stockton Town solidified their spot in the top five following their 5-1 victory away at Sheffield last weekend, and three more wins will ensure that they will be playing their football in the Premier Division next season.

Second-placed Hebburn Town, who have the most remaining fixtures of any of the teams in the top five, will face a busy schedule in their bid to secure a home fixture in the playoffs, including a thrilling clash against Belper Town who sit in 6th place and who are separated from Pontefract Collieries by a difference of four goals.

Hot on the heels of the Hornets is Dunston who could tie down a playoff clash on home soil with just one win from their last five fixtures. Two tough away games await them in the run-in, with a mouthwatering contest against Newton Aycliffe who sit in 4th, before travelling to Carlton Town who themselves will be hoping to break into the playoffs from 7th place.

Currently occupying the last playoff spot is Pontefract Collieries who will be aiming to consolidate their position with five fixtures remaining. However, it could be a tough prospect for the Colls who face two difficult fixtures on the bounce at the end of the season, hosting their closest rivals Belper Town before travelling to Newton Aycliffe on the final day of the season.

NPL Midlands Division

With Harborough Town, Spalding United and Anstey Nomads having guaranteed a place in the eliminators on Tuesday 30 April, it’s simply a matter of deciding who progresses into the Premier Division as champions and who will have to fight it out in the playoffs.

The three teams are separated by four points, with current leaders Harborough Town sitting on 82 points, Spalding United just behind them on 80 and Anstey Nomads in 3rd place on 78, with a game in hand over the two sides.

Aiming to secure an away tie in under two weeks is Hinckley LRFC and Loughborough Dynamo. The Moes currently sit two points behind the fourth-placed Knitters, and with fixtures to come against playoff-chasing Lye Town and league leaders Harborough Town, they will hope to end their streak of four games without a victory before they drop out of the top five.

Quorn, who sit just two points outside of the playoffs in 6th place, will be hoping that Loughborough’s end-of-season misfortune continues as they look to utilise their game in hand to leapfrog them in the table. However, like the Moes’ run-in, the Reds will face both Lye Town and Harborough Town in their remaining four fixtures, which is sure to make the battle for the 5th an intriguing spectacle.

NPL West Division

With Leek Town’s runaway title win secured, all attention turns to the intensifying battle for promotion in the NPL West Division. Mathematically speaking, teams from 2nd down to 12th will be vying for a spot in the eliminators at the end of the month.

Runcorn Linnets and Prescot Cables sit in 2nd and 3rd place, respectively, accumulating 61 points with one goal the difference between the two. Barring any dramatic results, both teams are likely to book their spot in the final four, but their guaranteed home clash in the playoffs is under threat by a Bootle side hot on their heels.

The Bucks swept aside 1874 Northwich 5-1 in their most recent outing and with a game in hand over the two teams above them, they will look to secure a home advantage in under three weeks. It will be no small task, however, as the first two of their last four games see Mick McGraa’s men journey to the champions Leek Town, before facing another away trip to promotion-chasing City of Liverpool who sit three points outside of the top five.

Witton Albion currently hold the final playoff spot, and they will be hoping to keep Nantwich Town at bay as they go in search of their third consecutive victory away at Trafford, before closing out the regular season with two huge clashes against Leek Town and City of Liverpool.

A disappointing start to the season for the Dabbers has all but been forgotten as Paul Carden’s team looks to extend their unbeaten run in the league to eight games. Since last losing to Bootle in the middle of February, Nantwich have picked up 19 points from a possible 21 which has catapulted them from 13th place to within two points of the playoffs in 6th. Clashes against Newcastle Town, City of Liverpool and Widnes await, but should results go in their favour, they could seal an incredible comeback by leapfrogging Witton into 5th place.

Widnes and Avro are five points adrift of the playoff spaces, with Stalybridge Celtic and Clitheroe slightly further back, and although it appears their window of opportunity is narrowing, stranger things have happened and they will keep their hopes alive of pinching a place in the playoffs from the teams above them.

Photo credit: Darren Murphy