It's a Big Bostik Saturday!

By Ian Townsend

Promotion, relegation and playoff issues are all to be decided this Saturday. Here's our round up of the critical games- you may need a calculator!

Forty five matches played, and for many of our clubs it all comes down to the final day. We have playoff, promotion and relegation places still to be decided across our three divisions, so dig out your lucky pants, gather up your family (whether they want to go or not), and prepare for an emotional rollercoaster!

We start in the Premier Division, where Billericay Town are assured of promotion- and the title- whilst Dulwich Hamlet know that they have home advantage in the playoffs. Folkestone Invicta and Hendon also have playoff qualification assured, and it looks very likely they will be playing each other- but where? Invicta travel to the AGP Arena where they'll try to crash the Billericay promotion party, and they may need a victory to be sure of home advantage as Hendon are only two points behind and have a better goal difference.

The Greens travel to fifth place Leiston, and victory could perhaps see them finish above Folkestone in third place. Leiston, however, know that just one point will confirm their playoff place- although unless Margate can win at Dulwich Hamlet and also turn around a significantly inferior goal difference (+30 v +24) then Glenn Driver's men will qualify whatever the outcome at Victory Road.

Leatherhead could also equal Leiston's points tally with victory at Tonbridge Angels, but it would have to be some victory to see them snatch a playoff spot given that their goal difference sees them thirteen goals worse off!

The Tooting Popular Front

The Tooting Popular Front

Perhaps the biggest drama comes at the bottom of the division. Burgess Hill Town and Tooting & Mitcham United will be delighted that only one team gets relegated this year, whilst praying to the football gods that it isn't them! The Hillians have the advantage as they travel to Harrow Borough, but it is a slim advantage, goal difference alone holding them above the Terrors.

Tooting travel to Imber Court to face Metropolitan Police, knowing that they need to better the Burgess Hill result to stay up. They'll be heartened by the fact that Borough have lost only one of their last eight matches and are in excellent form, having demolished Dorking Wanderers 4-0 away from home earlier this week- and perhaps by the fact that the Hillians have won only one of their last eight away matches, and indeed have the second-worst away record in the division. The Hillians, in turn, will have noted that Tooting's away form isn't much better, but although the Terrors have picked up only seven away points from their last twenty four only three of those matches ended in defeat- and perhaps a point might be enough. It's too close to call.

The North Division also sees drama at both ends of the table. Whilst AFC Hornchurch have already confirmed their place as champions, the second promotion place is still well and truly up for grabs, with any one of four sides able to snatch it. Potters Bar Town know that victory over Barking at Mayesbrook Park will see them take the prize whatever their rivals do, but will also be aware that their tenth place opponents are no pushovers. Barking's recent form has been rather erratic, but victories over AFC Hornchurch, Bowers & Pitsea and Dereham Town show that when Justin Gardner's men are good, they are very good indeed. That said, with only one defeat in the last fourteen matches- and that to the champions- the Scholars will go into the match full of confidence.

If Potters Bar fail to win, then victory for Bowers & Pitsea will see them take the second spot they have occupied for much of the season. Rob Small's side have picked entirely the wrong time of the season to have a blip, two losses in the last three allowing Bar to overhaul them, but a home match against a Brentwood Town side who have only one win from their last eight away trips should see them favourites to record a victory and- at the very least- keep the pressure on the Scholars.

Jody Brown Heybridge Swifts

Jody Brown Heybridge Swifts

Haringey Borough sit in fourth place, level on points with Bowers and only one point behind Bar, and victory at Bury Town will see them snatch second place if both Potters Bar and Bowers fail to win, whilst fifth place Heybridge Swifts, who host Soham Town Rangers, will leapfrog Bowers and Borough if both sides fail to win, and can even go second on goal difference were Bar to lose! Confused? We're not surprised!

There are far fewer complications at the bottom of the table. Romford must defeat Maldon & Tiptree whilst hoping that Norwich United lose at Cheshunt. Just one point, barring a miracle, will keep the Planters up due to their vastly superior goal difference- but their opponents Cheshunt are in excellent form with four wins and a draw from their last five matches, something that will give the Boro hope.

There is no relegation drama in the South Division, but there is still drama aplenty at the top end of the table. The battle for the title between promoted Carshalton Athletic and Lewes goes to the wire, with the Robins knowing that if they equal or better the Rooks result then the trophy is theirs. They face VCD Athletic at Colston Avenue whilst the Rooks host Chipstead. If Carshalton were to lose, then a single point would see Lewes grab the title on goal difference.

Most attention, however, will be on the playoff places. Greenwich Borough are confirmed as having qualified for the end of season lottery for the second season in a row, and Cray Wanderers also look to be secure given their vastly superior goal difference, but each position from third to sixth could change by ten to five. Corinthian-Casuals, Hythe Town and Walton Casuals are realistically competing for the last two places, with Anthony Gale's side two points behind Hythe in seventh spot.

Tony and Anthony Gale, Walton Casuals

Tony and Anthony Gale, Walton Casuals

Matters are complicated by the fact that Casuals of the Corinthian variety must travel to Hythe. A win for James Bracken's men could see them climb as high as third, whilst a point would guarantee them that playoff place, but Hythe may need to win, as if they draw a Walton Casuals victory at Ashford United would see the side in orange into the playoffs on goal difference. That same victory could yet see Walton Casuals dump Corinthian out of the playoff places should they lose to Hythe.

Whatever happens, we hope you've enjoyed the season! Our #bostikmatchday feature tomorrow will come from Barking v Potters Bar Town (so long as the M25 doesn't get in the way)- and then we'll see you in the playoffs next week.

Haringey Borough manager and jack-of-all-trades Tom Loizou

The Haringey Borough male voice choir

We've got more cheese than you!

Carshalton Athletic fans celebrate promotion

Where next?

Purse stolen! Towners Assistant off to Oxfordshire
Hillians and Musselmen roll out the charity red carpet Burgess Hill Town and Shoreham to host charity events at the end of the season

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