Who has the 'easiest' fixtures? Who has four successive home games? Our guide to National League promotion race featuring Stockport County, Wrexham, Halifax, Chesterfield, Notts County, Grimsby Town and others
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Sir Alex Ferguson famously coined the phrase ‘squeeky bum time’ when talking about the Premier League title race in 2003 – and we are now entering that stage in the National League.
Although it looks like Stockport County, who have a ten-point lead at the top, will be crowned champions, the fight to secure a play-off place is very much wide open.
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Hide AdAnalysing the remaining fixtures, you could make a case for any of those involved to go marching on or to slip-up.
We are not saying that Dagenham & Redbridge, Bromley or Torquay United can’t make the top seven, but in this piece we are focusing on those in positions one to eight.
A few things that standout for us are:
- Six of Stockport’s remaining nine games are against teams currently in the top eight
- Halifax have got to visit Stockport on the last day of the season, but will the Hatters be in party mood by then?
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Hide Ad- Wrexham have still got ten fixtures remaining, including four upcoming successive home matches, have a game in hand on Stockport and still have to play them at the Racecourse...so is there a glimmer of hope of pinching the title there?
- Solihull Moors have now got four away games on the bounce – three of them are at Halifax, Wrexham and Stockport. They also finish the season at Boreham Wood
- Chesterfield have got the fewest amount of games (seven) left, four of them being away, but the Spireites have the third best away record in the league
- On paper, Notts County have the ‘easiest’ run-in as seven of their last eight matches are against teams in the bottom half, including bottom club Dover twice
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Hide Ad- Grimsby have some tough-looking home games but their away fixtures look a bit more favourable
- Boreham Wood have played the fewest matches with 11 still left, including four games in hand on Chesterfield, but they have only won two of their last ten
Here’s a full breakdown of home and away games for each side in the current top eight:
STOCKPORT COUNTY (1ST)
Home:
Southend United
Solihull Moors
Boreham Wood
Torquay United
FC Halifax Town
Away:
Grimsby Town
Yeovil Town
Chesterfield
Wrexham
FC HALIFAX TOWN (2nd)
Home:
Solihull Moors
Woking
Chesterfield
Yeovil Town
Aldershot Town
Away
Altrincham
Southend United
Eastleigh
Stockport County
WREXHAM (3rd)
Home:
Barnet
Eastleigh
Solihull Moors
Altrincham
Southend United
Stockport County
Away:
Woking
Weymouth
Boreham Wood
Dagenham & Redbridge
SOLIHULL MOORS (4th)
Home:
Aldershot Town
Bromley
Dagenham & Redbridge
Away:
FC Halifax Town
Barnet
Wrexham
Stockport County
Weymouth
Boreham Wood
CHESTERFIELD (5th)
Home:
Dover Athletic
Stockport County
Woking
Away:
Wealdstone
FC Halifax Town
Bromley
Torquay United
NOTTS COUNTY (6th)
Home:
King’s Lynn Town
Weymouth
Dover Athletic
Altrincham
Away:
Torquay United
Dover Athletic
Aldershot Town
Maidenhead United
GRIMSBY TOWN (7th)
Home:
Stockport County
Torquay United
Maidenhead United
Boreham Wood
Away:
Weymouth
King’s Lynn Town
Barnet
Eastleigh
BOREHAM WOOD (8th)
Home:
Dover Athletic
Bromley
Wrexham
Away:
Dagenham & Redbridge
Aldershot Town
Wealdstone
Southend United
Stockport County
Yeovil Town
Grimsby Town
Solihull Moors