The Blue Square Premier season comes to a close on Saturday, with two relegation spots to be decided and the playoff fixtures to be arranged. Elsewhere, the playoff race in the Conference North and South will be decided, with the North champions also to be confirmed.

Title

Stevenage Borough secured promotion to the Football League for the first time in their history last weekend and are nine points clear going into the last fixture of the season. They host York in their last game in this division knowing that a win will see them end the shortened 42 games season on 99 points.

Playoffs

The four sides who will be competing in the playoffs are already confirmed but it remains to be seen who will face one another in the Semi Finals. Second place Luton travel to fourth place Rushden while Oxford visit Eastbourne and York go to Stevenage.

Luton and Oxford are guaranteed home games in the second leg of their Semis. Luton are a point ahead of The U's while Rushden lead York only on goal difference. Luton's fixture with Rushden could be the first of three consecutive meetings between the sides if they end up meeting one another in the coming weeks. The Promotion Final takes place at Wembley on Sunday 16 May.

Relegation

Grays Athletic are already relegated and Chester were expelled from the league earlier in the season, leaving two relegation spots still available going into the last day. Five sides are still in the fight to avoid those places. Ebbsfleet must win at Tamworth or they are down, while defeat for Gateshead at home to Wimbledon also sends them down, regardless of how the other three sides fare.

A win for Eastbourne also relegates both of those sides, although they face the hardest fixture of the involved sides. They host Oxford, and to make matters worse, Chris Wilder's side haven't conceded a goal in the past five matches.

If Gateshead draw with Wimbledon and Eastbourne lose then it is the south coast side who go down on goal difference.

If both of those sides record wins, Forest Green and Histon are drawn into the issue. Both sides only need a point, away at Grays and at home to Barrow respectively, to guarantee survival for another season. Losses will see them go level on points with Gateshead if The Heed win, leading to a potential three way battle for survival on goal difference.

Put simply, Ebbsfleet go down unless they win and Gateshead make an immediate return to the Conference North if they lose.

League Two

The Football League season doesn't finish for another two weeks but the two relegation places could be decided by tomorrow. Darlington are already down despite losing only twice in the last seven matches, while Grimsby Town's 99 year Football League history will end if they lose to The Quakers tomorrow.

A loss definitely sends them down, while a draw will mean they need to win their two remaining games and hope Barnet lose all of their four games. They could go down even with a win, if results for Barnet, Lincoln and Cheltenham are unfavourable. Sitting seven points adrift with three games to play makes it a massive struggle for Neil Woods' side.

Conference North / South

Newport County won the Conference South several weeks ago and have already reached 100 points. Southport lead the Conference North by a point going into the last weekend. A win at tenth placed Eastwood Town will secure them the title, while Fleetwood Town stand a chance of overcoming them if they beat ninth placed Stalybridge Celtic.

Chelmsford and Dover have secured playoff spots in the south, with Bath and Braintree currently holding the other top five spots. Woking and Havant are well poised to snatch a spot if results go their way, which is highly possible with Braintree having to face champions Newport.

In the north, whoever doesn't manage to win the title on Saturday will be joined by Alfreton Town, Workington Town and either Corby, Hinckley United or Droylsden. Corby played their last match on Wednesday and lead Hinckley by a point and Droylsden by a further point. Hinckley travel to Alfreton knowing a win secures them fifth while failure to do so will see Droylsden grab the final playoff place with a win at home to third bottom Redditch. If neither side win then Corby will hold onto their place despite not playing.

Elsewhere

Tomorrow also sees CRC and Cambridge City face crucial fixtures in their promotion pushes. United's scholars host Felixstowe & Walton United at The Abbey while fellow contenders Needham Market host Woodbridge Town. CRC currently lead the Ridgeons League by one point but have played a game more.

With Woodbridge currently second from bottom it will come as no surprise if Needham win, meaning the scholars must pick up maximum points to maintain their hopes of winning the title. Needham face a tricky fixture at Kirkley & Pakefield on Wednesday, and if they fail to win then CRC will be champions should they win their remaining games.

In the Southern League, Cambridge City recorded a priceless 3-2 victory at Hemel Hempstead on Thursday night which lifts them to third. Just one point separates third from seventh in the five club battle for three playoff positions.

City host Hednesford knowing that a win secures a playoff place and probably a home fixture in their Semi, while a point will be enough unless Brackley, Chippenham and Bashley all win. A loss will see them fall below their opponents, and they will need to hope that two of the above three sides lose if they are to seal a playoff place.

Matt Ramsay

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