Conference South Round up

[Andy K]

With Histon beating Welling and Salisbury losing away to Newport, Histon are confirmed champions of the Conference South. And of course their first opponents as champions elect are...erm..us!

Although we have taken it for granted for a few weeks now, we are also mathematically safe, and cannot finish lower that 18th under any circumstance. Also we can't finish any higher than 9th. A six pointer at the bottom has seen Basingstoke climb out of the bottom 3 for the first time in a long time, by beating Weston. Hayes have dropped into the bottom 3 now, and with only 2 games left for them compared to the other teams who all have more and an inferior goal difference to them all, its going to be a struggle, and Yeading could be our only trip to middlesex next year. And its looking more like we lose a trip to the seaside next season, as Weston are 5 points away from safety. 2 wins in their last three games are the minimum they need to stand a chance.

Remaining fixtures of the bottom clubs
Weston :
Sat 21st Apr A Eastleigh
Thu 26th Apr H Newport County
Sat 28th Apr H Bognor Regis Town

Hayes :
Sat 21st Apr H Fisher Athletic
Sat 28th Apr A Welling United

Basingstoke:
Tue 17th Apr A Welling United
Sat 21st Apr H Eastbourne Borough
Sat 28th Apr A Salisbury City

Thurrock:
Mon 16th Apr H Newport County
Sat 21st Apr A Havant & Waterlooville
Tue 24th Apr A Histon
Sat 28th Apr H Sutton United

Thurrock have the hardest run in but they have the advantage of 4 point in the bag and the most games to play


At the top, 7 teams are going for 4 places in the play off zone. Barring a disaster, Salisbury will be in the play offs, but the other 3 places are up for grabs, currently Welling, Braintree and Stortford occupy, but the 3 teams just out all have games in hand over those (Havant 1, Eastbourne 2 and Newport 3!). I believe the current 3 spots will not be occupied by the 3 same teams. And of course with our last 2 games being against Newport and Thurrock, we could have a bearing on who goes up or down!

[os]

Well Histon are rightly the champs I think, Stoke have fought hard to haul themselves out of the bottom 3 and Bed/WSM/Hayes will prob go down. I cannot say enough I do not rate Stortford so I think the last playoff place will go to HW or Newport Co who are on a bit of a roll.

Can't see this 4 pt advantage you say Thurrock have thou ??

[Andy K]

Sorry I was reading the wrong line!!!!

18 Thurrock 38 5 5 9 26 38 5 5 9 26 33 -19 40
19 Basings'ke 39 4 6 10 18 25 4 9 6 26 32 -13 39

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20 Hayes 40 4 4 12 21 34 6 5 9 21 35 -27 39
21 Weston SM 39 4 4 11 21 38 4 6 10 23 31 -25 34
22 Bedford T 40 5 4 11 23 34 2 2 16 15 45 -41 27

[Amber Aleman]

Sadly, I think Weston have got too much to do now and will go down (and so we'll lose one of our annual trips to the sesaide ) - losing at home to Basingstoke was a real killer for them. But that's given Stoke a lifeline - though they may need to make something of their game in hand over Hayes. Interestingly, Thurrock may well need something from their final game against us to make themselves safe: if so, let's hope we're not as obliging as we were at Hayes last April.

Havant still have home games against Yeading and Thurrock, which if they win should help them to reclaim a play-off place at the expense of Braintree or Stortford, both of whom have quite tough finishes. Newport could still make it - but have six games to play in two weeks, four of them away.

[markf]

WSM haven't won a home game in the last nine or ten. I think Hayes will go, although Basingstoke have three hard matches but if they can beat what will be a knackered Eastbourne team next Saturday, then their goal difference should be enough as I see Hayes getting nothing out of Welling unless they are safely in the play-offs & rest most of their team. f they do, then the Conference should fine them bearing in mind the importance the fixture may have.

[Amber Aleman]

Thurrock only drew tonight against Newport, so are still far from safe. With away games at Havant and Histon coming up, it's looking quite likely that they'll need at least a point against us!

[os]

Hayes need a win from their last 2 games and that is not going to be at Welling so for me they have to beat Fisher on Saturday. Thurrock have got 2 opportunities to get the draw they need before they play us, the bottom 3 as they are will go down.

Glad to see the top 5 now does not includ BS who I think will slip further, cannot see either Eastbourne or Newport making the playoffs just too many games for them in a short space of time. With them playing each other twice in a week my money would be on them wrecking eachothers chances with a win a piece.

[oldman]

good luck for us tonight hope we can do the double and win our last 3 games i have enjoyed this season think IH has done a good job with the players he has brought in

[sallycat]

Newport might- they just utterly thrashed Eastbourne.