Push for the play-offs

[Trevorfuggle]

It is still pretty open for the play-offs with all of the top 7 clubs playing at least one or two of the other clubs fighting for a place. Fixtures left for each club are:

Histon v Salisbury a, Welling h, Sutton h, Bishops S h, Thurrock h & Farnborough a

Salisbury v Histon h, Newport a, Fisher h, Havant h, Braintree a & Basingstoke h

Bishops Stortford v Basingstoke a, Braintree h, Bedford h, Histon a, Eastleigh a & Lewes h

Havant & W v Eastleigh h, Farnborough a, Yeading h, Thurrock h, Salisbury a & Fisher a

Welling v Farnborough h, Cambridge h, Histon a, Basingstoke h, Bedford a & Hayes h

Braintree v Thurrock h, Bishops Stortford a, Yeading a, Eastleigh a, Salisbury h & Eastbourne Borough a

Newport County v Hayes a, Salisbury h, Thurrock a, Eastbourne Borough h, Sutton a, Eastbourne Borough a, Weston-s-Mare a & Cambridge h

Eastbourne Borough v Cambridge H, Eastleigh a, Sutton a, Newport a, Basingstoke a, Newport h, Bognor h & Braintree h

Realistically I can't see anyone taking the title from Histon but they can upset the apple cart with games against three of the play-off contenders. The two games between Borough and Newport are vital as less than 4 points to either side will probably mean them being unable to make up the points deficit with the teams above them. On paper the team with the toughest fixtures is Salisbury with games against 4 play-off contenders but they may have hit form at the right time.

Also teams such as Basingstoke and Weston and, to a much lesser extent, Eastleigh looking for points to pull away from the relegation zone points cannot be guaranteed from matches with these sides.

All-in-all a fascinating final few weeks. If we can maintain our good form and unbeaten run we may well make it but in any case it has been a good season which hopefully can provide a springboard to 2007-8 when we can turn the many draws to victories and claim our place in the Conference National.

[shadwellarmy]

Agreed that the top five places are between the eight clubs listed there.
So long as we don't have a sudden drop in form or become goal-shy again, I think that Boro have every chance of the play-offs, but as said, it is the Newport games that could make or break us. Six points there would just about guarantee us a place, four points would be enough, three points probably acceptable, anything less a disaster.
But out of the eight teams listed, I believe that Bishop Stortford will be barred from the play-offs as their ground is not up to standard, and this season the team finishing sixth will get the pay-off place rather than a by being given to a club already there. That means that it is only seven teams going for the five places available.
Braintree have had their ground approved, but seem to be out of form and looking likely to drop out. Welling are still very inconsistant, but seem to get a lot of last minute (and ofton controversial) goals, but surely their luck can't hold to the end of the season. Can it?
Bishop Stortford, even without the ground issue, are also dropping points and could well miss out on a top five place anyway.
With seven matches to be played amongst the teams challanging for the top five places (not counting those involving Boro), that means up to 21 points being dropped by the teams we're up against. Add on our three games against rivals, and it is clear that making the play-offs or not is entirely in our own hands. If we continue to win, and don't drop silly points against lower clubs, we will make the play-offs, as other clubs have to drop points. Also we have a nice run of home games, right at the end of the season, when we will know exactly how many points we need to guarantee a play-off place.
Of course, regardless of what happens now, we have established a good springboard for the start of next season, but naturally I want the run of good form to continue as long as possible, and see us in the play-offs. Once in the play-offs, of course, the form-book goes out the window as anyone out of the clubs listed can beat any of the others on the right day.

As I've said before, my only worry is that we do go up, and then go straight down again. Another season getting the team to gel better, bring in one or two new faces, get the behind-the-scenes issues sorted and finances improved before going up could well be better in the long-term than going up now and then having a bad season at a higher level.

But, who knows what will happen in either division? Maybe we will upset them in the National next year, and in twelve months we'll be talking about our late push for the play-offs and League 2! Maybe a run of injuries will put us fighting the drop from Conference South. No way to tell, so, all in all, I'll take the risk of being promoted now, and see what damage we can do to York, Oxford and Aldershot next year!And with the new Sentana package, it will be nice to see Boro live on the tele several times during the season - or at least it will be nice for others to see them, as I'll be at the games and I don't have a TV, let alone a subscription to Sentana!

Mind you, as every single competitive game against National sides has resulted in a 1-0 defeat, we'll have to hope that we can break that 'tradition' ASAP!