National League North and South: A look at the key games on final day

By Niall Scouler

And so the Step 2 title race comes down to the final day.

A total of nine teams across the two divisions can still win the title, with three in the National League North and six in the National League South fighting for the title. 

In the National League North, Kidderminster Harriers are currently top ahead of Brackley Town on goal difference, with Scunthorpe two points behind the pair.

Meanwhile, in the National League South, Truro City and Torquay United are level on 86 points, with Eastborne Borough and Worthing one point behind the pair and Boreham Wood and Dorking Wanderers both three points off top. 

It all comes down to this Saturday, when automatic promotion to the National League will be decided by this weekend’s results. Here we look at the crunch games.

National League North

Southport vs Kidderminster 

Kidderminster know that a win against 20^th-placed Southport will be enough to seal their place in the fifth tier next season, such is their superior goal difference over Brackley Town.

The Harriers have put together an unbeaten streak of 13 games to put themselves in this position, including wins over both of their promotion rivals, leaving them in the driving seat.

Their hosts, meanwhile, have little to play for on the final day, with their survival having been already confirmed.

Ashley Hemmings, the league’s top scorer, could be key on the final day if Phil Brown’s side are to break down Southport. 

Brackley Town vs Farsley Celtic

Brackley Town, meanwhile, will be relying on a slip up from the league leaders to stand any chance of pipping them to the title and avoiding the playoffs.

A win against bottom side Farsley might feel like a forgone conclusion, but the visitors will be playing for pride having suffered a torrid season both on and off the pitch.

The home side have won 11 of their last 14 to push Kidderminster all the way, but a 1-0 at home to their rivals may have cost them going into the final day of the season, where they are now relying on others to help them out.  

Hereford vs Scunthorpe 

Scunthorpe have the toughest task out of the three to gain promotion. While it is still possible, they are relying on both sides to lose (although Brackley could draw and that would be enough) while also facing the tough task of beating Hereford away from home.

Hereford will be super motivated compared to the opponents of Scunthorpe’s rivals, as the home side sit in seventh place, level on points and goal difference with Curzon Ashton in 8th who are outside of the playoffs.

Therefore, they need a win to guarantee their place in the playoffs, looking to bounce back after a 5-1 defeat to Kidderminster last time out. 

National League South

Truro City vs St Albans

Current table toppers in the National League South, Truro City, know that a win might not be enough at home to St Albans, and so they will need to win comfortably against the 21st placed side.

However, this might not be as easy as it seems- St Albans may survive with a draw, should Salisbury, sat outside the relegation zone on goal difference, lose to already-relegated Welling United, so the visitors may put 11 men behind the ball if they can afford to.

However, Truro have the league’s top scorer Tyler Harvey, but they haven’t been particularly free scoring of late, and so they could struggle to win by a large margin. 

Hemel Hempstead vs Torquay United 

On the other hand, promotion rivals Torquay could seal the title either if Truro lose or they can manufacture a three-goal swing at the top of the league.

This is somewhat likely as Hemel Hempstead are sat comfortably in 11th place with nothing to play for. Torquay will also gain confidence due to the fact that they beat Truro just two matches ago, as well as a run of form that has seen them lose just one of their last 12 in the league.

One thing that goes against them is that they aren’t overly free scoring either, but they do have Cody Cooke, who has 17 goals in the league this season. 

Eastbourne Borough vs Weston Super Mare 

Eastbourne Borough are next in line, and will be relying on the two sides above them to drop points, and will need a win themselves due to their inferior goal difference.

While a win against 8th placed Weston Super Mare may be a tough task, with the visitors still in with a mathematical chance of making the playoffs, they, realistically, have nothing to play for such is their inferior goal difference to Maidstone United.

They have been high scorers, and George Alexander has led that with 24 goals this season, but all they can do is win and hope for dropped points around them. 

Enfield Town vs Worthing 

Worthing need all the sides above them to drop points on Saturday too, knowing that a draw won’t be enough to win the league because of their low goal difference.

However, they could face a similar problem to Truro, with Enfield, too, playing for survival. They sit in 19th, three points above the drop, knowing a draw will be enough to confirm their place in the National League South next season, and so they may look to play for the point.

The Rebels have scored just nine goals in their last seven games, which has seen them slip from top of the table before Monday’s loss against Dorking to 4th going into the final game. 

Tonbridge Angels vs Boreham Wood

Boreham Wood travel to Tunbridge knowing that they, too, only have an outside chance of winning the title.

However, such is their goal difference, they only need to win and hope the others above them lose (although Eastbourne and Worthing could draw and Boreham Wood would still be champions) rather than having to hope for a swing in goals above them.

Four wins from four has kept them within touching distance, but a 4-0 loss away to Maidstone may have cost them going into Saturday’s showdown at the top of the table.  

Dorking Wanderers vs Chesham United 

Dorking are in a similar situation to Boreham Wood- because of their goal difference, as long as all five sides above them drop points (which is a long shot) then they would be crowned champions.

However, they could have been in a much better position than this if they’d been able to maintain their form in the final stretch- in their last nine games, they’ve won just two, drawing six and losing to top of the table Torquay.

Had they been able to turn some of these draws into wins, they could have been crowned champions by now. For example, they conceded against Maidstone in the 89th minute and Bath in the 102nd.