Date: Fri 13 Mar 2020

By Steve Whitney

Promotion & Relegation Battles Gather Pace

The battle for promotion and relegation from the BetVictor Southern League Premier Division Central is really gathering pace and Saturday`s fixture list throws up some intriguing battles.

The game between leaders Peterborough Sports and Coalville Town is featured elsewhere on the website, but only goal difference separates the leaders from second-placed Tamworth, whose chances of returning to the summit were thwarted in midweek when the match officials` car was held up in traffic en-route to Coalville, leading to the game being postponed.

The Lambs are involved in another `six-pointer` as they host sixth-placed Stourbridge, who are only out of the play-off places on goal difference.

One win in five – and defeat to the team immediately above them, Rushall Olympic – means Saturday`s game is even more crucial for the Glassboys.

But Tamworth are unbeaten in seven and possess a good record at The Lamb.

Third-placed Royston Town could go top if Peterborough Sports and Tamworth lose.

The Crows showed they have recovered from the disappointment of bowing out of the Buildbase FA Trophy at the quarter final stage by hammering third-bottom St Ives Town 5-0 last weekend.

They journey to Suffolk to play a Leiston outfit who have gone six games without a win and are now only three points in front of St Ives.

Fourth-placed Bromsgrove Sporting suffered back-to-back defeats last Saturday when going down 4-1 at Barwell and face bottom-markers Redditch United at the Trico Stadium this weekend.

The Reds were hammered 7-1 by Sporting in the reverse fixture in January and are beginning to run out of games, being 14 points adrift of the safety mark.

Rushall Olympic hold the final play-off spot and make the relatively short journey to Lye Meadow to take on second-bottom Alvechurch.

Beaten 2-0 at home by Nuneaton Borough last Saturday, the return of Ian Long to the managerial hot-seat hasn`t yet lifted `Church as was expected and they trail the safety mark by nine points but do have games in hand on all around them – but they need points from them.

Despite being fifth, the Pics have been inconsistent.

Banbury United`s return to form – three successive wins – has seen them move up to seventh and only trail Rushall by a point.

They go to St Ives` Pro-Edge Stadium to face another side desperate for points in the relegation scrap.

Coalville, Nuneaton, Kings Langley and AFC Rushden & Diamonds will all reckon to still have a good chance of mounting a top five challenge.

Nuneaton welcome a Hednesford Town side to Liberty Way and probably won`t be certain which Pitmen side will turn up as they have endured some strange results in recent weeks.

Boro are level on 50 points with Kings Langley, who make the hop over to Langford Road to play a Biggleswade Town side who have won just once in seven games.

Diamonds travel to Suffolk to play a Needham Market side who have already beaten them twice this season – once in the CSS League Cup and then at Hayden Road in the league – both 2-1.

The Marketmen are on 48 points, as are Barwell, and could also be deemed as having outside hopes of a top five challenge if results go their way.

The Yellows are at Kirkby Road against a Stratford Town side who are 18th and have lost their last two games.

Lowestoft Town, who are 16th, welcome the team immediately below them, Hitchin Town, to Crown Meadow in the day`s other game.

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