Blue Square Bet Premier Play-offs update

After Luton’s fantastic 3-0 victory away at Wrexham last night they look set to face either AFC Wimbledon or Fleetwood town at Eastlands on May 21st.

Hear manager Gary Brabin’s reaction on BBC Three Counties radio here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13308204.stm

Blue Square Bet Premier Play-offs Begin

Manchester City’s Eastlands ground becomes the promised land as the four sides fight for a place in the Play-off final on May 21st

The Blue Square Bet Premier play-offs kick off tonight as the final showdown begins to see who will fight it out at Manchester City on May 21st as Wrexham host Luton Town.

The Hatters travel to North Wales as they prepare for a reverse fixture of the final game of the season just five days ago which finished honours even in a 1-1 draw.

Luton – despite finishing 3rd in a league where play-offs begin from 2nd – go into the opening game as the bookies favourites and will be looking to take any positive results from a tough away fixture.

5th placed Fleetwood take on league runners-up AFC Wimbledon tomorrow night.

Form guide is irrelevant

Any fan who’s seen their team in the play-offs will know anything can happen in the next two games.

Amazingly all four teams in these play-offs have the same form when playing each other; all have Won 2, Drawn 2 and Lost 2 against each other.

Luton go into the these play-offs with the worst form over the last six games having only won two, whilst Wimbledon are unbeaten in seven.

History shows however that out of the eight Conference play-offs so far that the 3rd placed team is most likely to go up as 3rd has clinched it five out of eight times.

However, with Wimbledon and Fleetwood the form sides, but Luton and Wrexham having the most success when playing top-half teams we are in for a treat where anything could happen over the next five games.

Blue Square Bet Premier Round Up -30th April, 2011 (Last game of the season)

With promotion and play-off places decided already the focus of the league this week was on the battle to stay up. With three points separating five sides of which two would go down it wasn’t one to be missed.

Altrincham were the lowest of the sides that could stay up. They needed a win no matter what. Their game with already relegated Eastbourne turned out to be one of the best this season. Eastbourne scored two early goals and added a third before the break. Altrincham refused to be broken though, and when they equalised late on belief that they could go on to win – and secure safety in the league – was high. However, their dreams were to be broken as Eastbourne scored a late winner and sent Altrincham down with them.

A win for Barrow, a point above relegation at the start of the weekend, would mean guaranteed safety and they achieved that with a 2-0 win at home to Hayes & Yeading.

The biggest game of the weekend was Tamworth at home to Forest Green Rovers. Neither side were safe as they both entered the game level on points with the relegation zone and it was Tamworth who came out on top winning 2-1.

Forest Green’s loss meant all Southport had to do to survive was gain a point away at Kettering. They looked set to do that after a hard fought game holding Kettering to a 1-1 draw until the 87th minute when Luke O’Neill dashed their dream of survival. Relegation was confirmed four minutes into injury time as Kettering finished it off winning 3-1.

In the play-off’s we were given a taste of thing to come as Luton and Wrexham faced each other, and they’ll now go on to play each other twice more in the play-off semi-finals.

Elsewhere there were wins for AFC Wimbledon, Bath City, Darlington, Fleetwood Town, and a huge 7-1 win for Newport County. Crawley, York, Kidderminster and Histon all finished their seasons with draws.

Results

AFC Wimbledon 2-1 Grimsby Town

Altrincham 3-4 Eastbourne Borough

Barrow 2-0 Hayes & Yeading

Bath City 2-0 Mansfield Town

Cambridge United 0-1 Fleetwood Town

Crawley Town 1-1 York City

Darlington 2-0 Rushden & Diamonds

Gateshead 1-7 Newport County

Kettering Town 3-1 Southport

Kidderminster Harriers 2-2 Histon

Luton Town 1-1 Wrexham

Tamworth 2-1 Forest Green Rovers

Super Crawley cross 100 points mark

AFTER Crawley Town crossed the 100 point mark this Easter weekend it should be admired how the club have dominated the Non-League’s Premier Division this season.

Crawley’s players celebrate promotion

The Blue Square Bet Premier side will be playing in the Football League for the first time in their history next season and look to go out with a bang as they look to extend their unbeaten league run to 21 games with victory at home to York City in the final game of the season on Saturday.

The club has come in for criticism for the way have won promotion after taking a Man City-esque approach after the duo of Bruce Winfield – a life-long Crawley fan – and Susan Carter invested heavily in the club at the start of the season. Winfield unfortunately passed away during the season but the club insist that it can continue ‘Project Promotion’ without him.

Over the course of the season the club has brought in 23 new players and spent in-excess of £330,000 – far superior to any other club in the division.

It seems the money has been well spent however as The Red Devils have cruised to promotion to League Two and earned themselves a trip to Old Trafford after becoming only the fifth Non-League club in history to reach the FA Cup Fifth Round.

The side boast having the League’s leading goalscorer – Matt Tubbs – and have also scored more goals as a team than any other side.

It’s been a long-time coming for Crawley Town fans to watch Football League football and now it has arrived I wish them all the best in what already looks set to be another successful for The Red Devils.

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Crawley celebrate promotion to the football league for the first time in their history

Blue Square Bet Premier Round Up – 23.04.2011

With Crawley heading for record breaking points amount they once again were able to keep the attention of the league on them, and they proved they were worthy champions as they dominated Rushden & Diamonds in a convincing 4-0 win.

The race for the final play-off position continued to hot up. After Kidderminster’s loss to Darlington and York’s win over Luton in midweek both teams we within four points of 5th placed Fleetwood. York had the opportunity to join Fleetwood on points after they were defeated by rivals Kidderminster on Friday night but Darlington caused havoc in the play-off chase again as they beat York.

In the relegation battle Southport produced a massive win away at Tamworth as they moved level on points with Forest Green. Two points now separate four teams who are desperately trying to avoid the final relegation spot. Altrincham look to have almost confirmed relegation as they lost at home to Newport as they sit four points from safety with two games remaining.

Elsewhere, wins for Luton, Wimbledon and Wrexham look to have almost decided the final positions of the first three play-off candidates.

Results

Friday

AFC Wimbledon 2-1 Mansfield Town

Crawley Town 4-0 Rushden & Diamonds

Kidderminster Harriers 2-1 Fleetwood Town

Saturday

Altrincham 1-3 Newport County

Barrow 0-2 Grimsby Town

Bath City 2-1 Histon

Cambridge United 1-0 Hayes & Yeading

Darlington 2-1 York City

Gateshead 0-1 Wrexham

Kettering 2-1 Forest Green Rovers

Luton Town 3-0 Eastbourne Borough

Tamworth 0-1 Southport

Up and down week for Kidderminster but the play-off dream lives on.

Friday 22 April, 2011

Kidderminster Harriers 2-1 Fleetwood Town

AN INSPIRED second-half performance from Steve Burr’s men was enough to defeat an in-form Fleetwood side as the Harriers move just one point behind the Cod Army in the race for the final play-off spot.

In a game the home side had to win to keep any hopes of a play-off spot alive they looked the most lively early on. Lee Morris was set through on goal after only three minutes, but his shot was turned wide.

The first half proved an even affair despite the Fleetwood looking a little more alert than the hosts as both sides made chances. It was Fleetwood who broke the deadlock though as they pounced on a mistake by Lee Vaughan and winger Jamie Mullan made no mistake as he blasted his shot to Dan Lewis’ right-hand side.

Steve Burr’s words at half-time must have worked as the Harriers came out for the second-half looking a different side as the Aggborough faithful spurred them on and they got the breakthrough they were looking for on 52 minutes. Jack Byrne inspired the goal as he looked to lob the keeper from 30 yards out, and succeeded with the aid of a deflection.

Five minutes later it was Byrne again who proved the hero for Harriers as he headed in from Callum Gittings’ corner as Fleetwood looked on in despair.

And they should have netted more as Lee Morris was twice denied first by defender Shaun Beeley and then by keeper Danny Hurst.

Both sides had chances to in the last 15 minutes but Matty Blair and Nick Wright for Harriers and George Donnelly for Fleetwood were unable to make them count.

Harriers task was made easier for the final few minutes as Donnelly was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card, as they earned themselves three invaluable points to mount one final play-off push.

Follow the link to hear Steve Burr’s reaction after the game on BBC Hereford & Worcester:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/9456053.stm

Tuesday 19 April, 2011

Kidderminster Harriers 1-2 Darlington

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS’ promotion push suffered a huge blow after the side suffered their first loss in 15 games.

The Harriers slipped to seventh after Darlington made them pay with two second half counter attacks.

The hosts looked the brighter side as they tested Darlington with early chances before Keith Briggs slotted it home on 30 minutes to make it 1-0.

Steve Burr’s side continued to make chances after the break but Darlington made the Harriers pay for being a little too adventurous as they scored from counter attacks, first by Jamie Chandler on 65 minutes and then by Chris Moore on 76 minutes.

The fans never gave up spurring the side on but it wasn’t to be as Harriers were left to rue Luke Canham’s missed effort from eight yards out.

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Harriers fans show how much the opening goal means to them. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be against Darlington.

Blue Square Bet Premier Round Up – 26/03/2011

Midweek gave three teams pushing for the final playoff spot yet another chance to gain points on Kidderminster as they didn’t play. Only Mansfield took advantage as they came from two down to win 3-2 away at Histon.

Mansfield were given yet another chance to gain ground on the Harriers at the weekend as they hosted the in-form side at Field Mill. But it was Steve Burr’s men that came out victorious, as Harriers continue against the odds to push for the play-offs winning 2-1. It was a victory all the more sweeter for former Mansfield player Keith Briggs as he put away what prove to be the decisive goal between the two sides.

It certainly won’t be an easy ride for the Harriers however, as Fleetwood Town and York City keep the pressure on them. Both sides were playing bottom six opposition as Fleetwood beat Hayes & Yeading 2-1 and York beat Histon 1-0.

Despite Crawley Town’s goalless draw away at Gateshead they still sit 10 points clear of AFC Wimbledon with three games in hand. Wimbledon keep themselves in with a chance of second place as they beat Rushden & Diamonds 1-0 at Kingmeadow moving them four points clear of Luton, who lost 2-1 at Southport. Luton have four games in hand however.

Rushden’s loss puts them virtually out of contention for the playoffs and Grimsby and Darlington did themselves no favours as they took a point between the two of them in their games. Darlington can move to within four points of Kidderminster should they win all three of their games in hand though.

Elsewhere, in mid-table scraps, there were wins for Kettering and Bath, whilst Cambridge and Forest Green produced a 1-1 draw.

Results

AFC Wimbledon 1-0 Rushden & Diamonds

Barrow 0-1 Bath City

Cambridge United 1-1 Forest Green Rovers

Darlington 0-1 Altrincham

Eastbourne Borough 1-3 Kettering Town

Gateshead 0-0 Crawley Town

Grimsby Town 2-2 Tamworth

Hayes & Yeading 1-2 Fleetwood Town

Mansfield Town 1-2 Kidderminster Harriers

Southport 2-1 Luton Town

York City 1-0 Histon

Blue Square Bet Premier Round Up – Saturday 19th March

It was an action packed weekend in the Blue Square Bet Premier Division this weekend.

It began on Friday night with a clash between the top two sides, Crawley Town and AFC Wimbledon. Crawley came out victorious putting them 9 points above Wimbledon with four games in hand making Crawley clear favourites to win the division.

Elsewhere Fleetwood Town, Rushden & Diamonds, York City and Grimsby Town looked to make the most of Kidderminster Harriers having a week off as they all push to make the playoffs:

On paper Fleetwood had the hardest game, a home tie against Wrexham, however they were the only team from those four that won.

York and Grimsby both lost 2-1 in away ties at Cambridge United and Bath City and Rushden came from behind to draw 2-2 at home to Southport in a game they’ll most likely be disappointed with.

At the bottom end of the table Eastbourne Borough were dealt a blow by Barrow losing 2-0 at home as they move another step closer to relegation. Southport’s draw at Rushden kept them level on points with Forest Green Rovers after they were held to a goalless draw at home to Newport County. Altrincham’s win at home to Tamworth moves them just one point off safety and Hayes & Yeading’s 3-2 home victory against Kettering moves them out of the relegation zone.

Results

Friday

Crawley Town 3-1 AFC Wimbledon

Saturday

Altrincham 2-0 Tamworth

Bath City 2-1 Grimsby Town

Cambridge United 2-1 York City

Eastbourne Borough 0-2 Barrow

Fleetwood Town 1-0 Wrexham

Forest Green Rovers 0-0 Newport County

Hayes & Yeading 3-2 Kettering Town

Rushden & Diamonds 2-2 Southport