The Blue Square Premier season came to its conclusion on Saturday as all twenty-four teams completed their last matches of the regular campaign, and only five matches are yet to be played before the second promoted side will be determined.

Only five of the twelve matches played on Saturday had any real significance going into matches, as the final relegation spot needed deciding, as did the top five's playoff opponents.

Halifax Town's loss at home to Stevenage Borough was rendered irrelevant as it became apparent that Altrincham had failed in their bid to avoid the drop, drawing 2-2 at Weymouth. In a match that saw both sides have a man dismissed in the first half, Chris Senior's late equaliser couldn't save The Robins.

A win was the only result that could have seen them in with a chance of surviving, but the draw means they finish the campaign a point below Halifax. This is the third season in succession that the Moss Lane side has been relegated from this division, and they will have to hope for more misfortunes to befall other sides if they are the receive an unprecedented third reprieve.

At the other end of the table, the battle for position between sides in the four playoff places saw a fascinating afternoon unfold and placing changes take place several times, none more so than in the very last ten minutes of the season.

With ten minutes to play in the three fixtures, Torquay were holding on to second place on goal difference while trailing 1-0 at home to Crawley, Cambridge United led 1-0 at Northwich to put pressure on The Gulls, while Burton and Exeter were locked at 2-2 in game where the visitors had led twice.

Inside the space of just two minutes, Crawley doubled their advantage against Torquay to put Cambridge United up to second, before Cambridge United's second goal saw them consolidate that position.

In between this, Shaun Harrad netted for Burton to see his side lead 3-2, meaning that as The U's climbed and The Grecians slumped, the sides were due to face each other in the playoffs. Harrad's second goal looked to have secured this fact, before two goals in the last four minutes saw Exeter pull the game back to a remarkable 4-4 draw, leaving Exeter to finish fourth.

As Cambridge United held on to a comfortable victory at Northwich, Tim Sills' late strike could not save Torquay from a second defeat in five days, meaning that his side finished third in the division after holding second for so long.

This means that Cambridge United will face Burton Albion in the playoffs, while a southern derby awaits as Torquay United face Exeter City in the other match. Only Exeter know from recent experience what a playoff campaign is like, having been beaten finalists last season, while Burton missed out by one place and The U's and Torquay fought relegation battles in the respective divisions.

The seven other matches to take place had no bearing upon the race for promotion and relegation, but several changes of league position took place. Farsley Celtic's drop back to regional football after only one year was confirmed as they failed to overturn impossible goal difference in falling to a 3-1 home defeat against Grays Athletic, who themselves secured a top ten finish.

After a miserable season by their very high expectations, Oxford United climbed into the top ten for the first time in months after a 3-1 away demolition at Ebbsfleet, who consequently finish eleventh.

Three goals in the opening half an hour saw Oxford take complete control, and after a poor second season at this level, The U's were only a point away from finishing seventh.

That honour fell to Histon, after their 2-2 draw with fellow over-achievers Forest Green Rovers saw the sides finish in adjacent finishing positions. Stuart Fleetwood netted the first of two Rovers equalisers, and despite a barren spell in 2008 he finishes as winner of the division's Golden Boot with 27 goals.

Salisbury City ended a poor run of recent form to thump York City 3-0, to finish their debut season at this level in the top half, finishing a greatly credible twelfth thanks largely to a superb home record.

York's poor recent form sees them end fourteenth, still an enormous improvement from the state of affairs when a new manager was installed with the club in relegation worries earlier in the season.

Woking beat erratic Kidderminster 3-0 to end twelve points above the drop zone and deny their opponents a top half finish, but both sides will be keen to improve in the coming campaign after disappointing efforts this time around.

Stafford Rangers ended their stay in the division with a 2-1 win at home to fellow relegated side Droylsden, and the three points sees them climb above their opponents to hand The Bloods the distinction of finishing bottom of the table with twenty-four points.

The final word must go to Aldershot Town, who return to the Football League as Blue Square Premier champions with a colossal 101 points, an all-time record for the division.

Against a Rushden side playing their eighth game in sixteen days, The Shots secured their third draw in a row, 1-1 this time, as they end fifteen points clear of nearest challengers Cambridge United, and nobody can question their position as worthy champions.

Only the playoffs remain of this intensely absorbing campaign. Glory beckons for one of the four sides, and Sunday May 18^th sees Wembley Stadium welcome the two finalists in the very last match of the season. For all others, a summer of rebuilding or progression is the next step, before it all starts again on August 9^th.

Matt Ramsay