Ups & Downs

[HORN]

Rochdale’s battle to escape the drop continues at glacial pace. 18 draws so far. Thank goodness Oldham are proving resolute in their shiteness.

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

The bostik north promotion race is heading towards a thrilling finale. While AFC Hornchurch secured promotion weeks ago, the second spot looks set to go down to the wire.

Bowers and Pitsea needed just seven points from their last four games to secure promotion after Potters Bar slipped up away to bottom club Romford two weeks ago. Since then, though, they've picked up just three points from three games, and last night's loss to mid-table Hertford left them a point shy of Potters Bar Town, heading into the final game.

Haringey Borough sit level on points with Bowers, but with a nine goal inferior goal difference to Bowers (and eight worse than Potters Bar). They're the form team coming into the final round of matches, but appear to have left themselves too much to do, relying on Potters Bar and Bowers both failing to win.

Meanwhile Heybridge Swifts retain an outside chance of promotion. Sitting three points behind Potters Bar, their goal difference can see them secure promotion but only if Potters Bar lose and Haringey and Bowers fail to win.

It's not just promotion that's at stake - any one of second to fifth knows they could finish fifth and hence get an away playoff tie (to one of the other three), while third place secures a home tie against an out-of-form Canvey Island.

Bowers and Pitsea have on paper, the easiest tie, hosting lowly Brentwood while Heybridge host mid-table Soham. Boro and Potters Bar face potentially tricky away ties to Bury and Barking respectively - teams that both fit into the "no mugs" category. None of these opponents has anything left to play for though.

Meanwhile Romford, reprieved by a late winner for Heybridge last night in Norwich, can doom themselves to step 5 if they fail to win their game in hand tonight.

[N est à?]

Well, Romford won, so the relegation battle goes to the last day- they're two points behind Norwich Utd, and are at home to no-mug category Maldon and Tiptree, while Norwich are away to kind-of-mugs Cheshunt.

[N est à?]

But speaking of relegation battles, tonight is the big one, El Crapico, Dunstable v Gosport. Dunstable took up the gauntlet thrown down by Gosport's seven goal win at the weekend by winning away on tuesday, to raise them to an impressive 17 points. Gosport are on 14, the goal difference is tight as a gnat's chuff, so any Gosport win will lift them off the bottom. Dunstable though will be safe if they win.

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

Well, Romford won, so the relegation battle goes to the last day- they're two points behind Norwich Utd, and are at home to no-mug category Maldon and Tiptree, while Norwich are away to kind-of-mugs Cheshunt.

Cheshunt are indeed kind of mugs, but they're also kind of mugs in blistering form - they've taken 13 points from their last five games - including a point at champions-elect Hornchurch. Maldon and Tiptree, meanwhile, appear to have broken up early for the summer and have lost their last three since the playoffs slipped from their grasp.

[N est à?]

Good background, not looking to good for Norwich then.

If Romford were second bottom, I'd do a gag about the 'Havering' above the drop zone.

[Ray de Galles]

Bangor effectively relegated from the Welsh Premier League due to "concerns", Stephen Vaughan strikes again.

[Kowalski]

It's not effectively relegated, it's literally relegated.

I'm not surprised, or upset,

[Patrick Thistle]

Isn't it more like excluded for not meeting the necessary criteria.

It seems daft to me.

[elguapo4]

There's always a lot of this going on in the league of Ireland at the start of every season,usually clubs get their act together and win the appeal though this looks more serious, or maybe the league of Wales are stricter

[Kowalski]

The licensing process has claimed Rhyl, Neath and Llanelli since it started over a decade ago.

[Kowalski]

There's always a lot of this going on in the league of Ireland at the start of every season,usually clubs get their act together and win the appeal though this looks more serious, or maybe the league of Wales are stricter

We lost the appeal today.

[elguapo4]

We lost the appeal today.

Sorry to hear that,I didn't read the article all the way through

[Kowalski]

Thanks, I'm not really that bothered, saw it coming and all that.

[Ray de Galles]

Isn't it more like excluded for not meeting the necessary criteria.

It seems daft to me.

There are a lot of rumours flying around that there are specific areas of irregularity Bangor are being punished for. I don’t think this is about failing to get some ticks on a checksheet.

[longeared]

Parkgate relegated from the NCEL Premier tonight. Fuckety buggery bastard bollocks.

[Patrick Thistle]

There are a lot of rumours flying around that there are specific areas of irregularity Bangor are being punished for. I don’t think this is about failing to get some ticks on a checksheet.

Vaughan is promising a meeting with fans tomorrow night apparently.

It seems daft in that the WPL can barely function and then start excluding clubs who want to play in it. I'm not sure what other approach they could take but this isn't the first time a decent sized club has been ejected.

There was a thing on Twitter recently about how to make Welsh football less of a joke. I'm not sure how booting out one of your top teams helps people take it more seriously.

[longeared]

Alvechurch promoted from the Northern Premier League Division One South.

Marske United promoted from the Northern League and seem enthusiastic about moving up. Give them a clap everybody.

[Uros Predic]

It seems daft in that the WPL can barely function and then start excluding clubs who want to play in it. I'm not sure what other approach they could take but this isn't the first time a decent sized club has been ejected.

There was a thing on Twitter recently about how to make Welsh football less of a joke. I'm not sure how booting out one of your top teams helps people take it more seriously.

Or.... clubs could make sure they are adhering to the rules and regulations that have been set out for them to follow. It'd be more a joke if the WPL chose to let whatever misdemeanours there have been slide because Bangor have a decent sized support.

[Patrick Thistle]

Yeah, good point.

[longeared]

Northern Premier League officially confirm that Scarborough Athletic and Hyde United are both promoted from Division One North.

[Gangster Octopus]

Parkgate relegated from the NCEL Premier tonight. Fuckety buggery bastard bollocks.

Bugger. Still, they'll continue to have a Rotherham derby next season.

[N est à?]

Gosport won el crapico 2-0 on thursday, going level on points and taking a goal difference lead over dunstable.

Since I started gently ridiculing these two teams on here a week and a half ago, they've both put on a bit of a spurt, and could both still achieve 20 points for the season, which looked implausible 10 days ago.

[slackster]

Woking confirmed as the last of the 4 relegated National League sides today. Barrow were lucky to escape after losing to already doomed Chester at home, but Woking’s increasingly woeful form as the season progressed means they can’t have any complaints.

[Diable Rouge]

Franchise losing 2-0 to Scunthorpe, so effectively down, while Wimbledon would be safe with a game to spare if the current results were to be maintained.