As the season races towards a finish, there are several nail biting endings in store for fans of clubs across the Non-League pyramid. From last gasp survival bids to late promotion pushes, there are plenty of scores still to be settled as the 2017-18 season moves into its final few days. In this article we take a look at the key fixtures to be played on Thursday night. .
National League North
Spennymoor Town face a crunch fixture against already relegated North Ferriby. Jason Ainsley’s side are only a point adrift of the play-off positions and will be desperate to come into this weekend’s final round of fixtures with their fate in their own hands.
The Moors have fallen to defeat in their last three league games and have faced a frantic run of fixtures as they race to finish their season on schedule. Tonight represents the perfect opportunity for Spennymoor to re-ignite their promotion push but they will have to battle against potential fatigue having taken to the field just 48 hours ago in a disappointing 2-1 defeat at home to AFC Telford.
Evo-Stik Premier Division
Shaw Lane are four points outside of the play-off positions and will therefore need to secure maximum points against Workington at Sheerien Park tonight if they are to take their hunt for the play-offs to the final game of the season.
The Ducks come into tonight’s game against ninth-placed Barwell on a decent run of form having won their last two league games.
Evo-Stik North
There is a huge fixture in the race for the final position in Evo-Stik North play-offs this evening as seventh-placed Colywn Bay travel to sixth-placed Trafford. With just two points separating the two sides, the significance of this evening’s encounter cannot be underestimated.
Tom Baker’s Trafford slipped to a shock defeat at bottom club Goole AFC at the weekend, while Colwyn Bay also missed out on an opportunity to pick up points as they fell to defeat at Droylsden on Tuesday evening.
Ninth-placed Colne are currently three points behind Trafford and will need a victory at Clitheroe if they are to keep alive their faint play-off ambitions.
Evo-Stik South
Alvechurch can secure promotion this evening if they better Frickley Athletic, who take on Stocksbridge Park Steels. The Church currently hold a six-point advantage over third-placed Frickley and come into tonight’s game against fifth-placed Bedworth on a superb run of form having won eight of their last ten league games. Bedworth, on the other hand, can confirm their position in the play-offs with a victory.
At the other end of the table, Market Drayton will move off the bottom of the table with a victory over Kidsgrove Athletic at Greenfields Sports Ground. The Gingerbreadmen are currently a point behind 21st place Romulus in a relegation battle that promises to go right down to the wire.
Evo-Stik Southern Premier
There hasn’t quite been a relegation battle like it. Rock-bottom Gosport Borough travel to 23rd-placed Dunstable knowing that a defeat will confirm their relegation. There is currently three points separating the two sides, who have both endured torrid seasons.
Gosport have picked up just five wins so far this campaign and have shipped in 142 goals. Dunstable have fared only slightly better, winning seven matches and conceding 132 times.
In an extraordinary turn of fate both sides picked up vital victories in their last fixtures, with Dunstable recording a 2-0 win at Biggleswade on Tuesday and Gosport pulling off a shock 7-0 thrashing against Frome Town at the weekend.