WhiteBallProject / Playoffs and Relegation

**Posted by Matchman** **Online!** 26/3/2025 12:11 PM

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Playoffs and Relegation
With just 6 matches left for every team, each result from now onwards is important. Every result can affect either the race for the final two playoff places or the battle to avoid relegation. There’s 18 points to play for and that is enough to achieve a playoff place or avoid relegation. We can assume Worksop (71 points) and Guisely (68 points) will finish in the top two playoff places leaving just a few teams with a chance of finishing 4th or 5th. Stockton (62 points) and Ashton (60 points) are favourites but Ilkeston (55 points), Gainsborough and Morpeth (52 points) and Rylands (51 points) still have an outside chance. At the bottom Mickleover, (10 points from safety) look doomed but Basford (6 points from safety) still have a chance to avoid the drop. Matlock (on 39 points) are currently in the final relegation spot with Whitby and Bamber Bridge on 40 points, Workington on 43 points and Lancaster on 44 points.

Expect some surprising results from now on as teams try desperately to pick up points.

Sat 29th March - fixtures:
Ashton v Hebburn.
Bamber v Gainsborough.
Blyth v Macclesfield
FC United v Stockton.
Guiseley v Matlock
Ilkeston v W Rylands
Morpeth v Leek
Prescot v Basford
Whitby v Hyde
Workington v Mickleover
Worksop v Lancaster.

**Posted by Matchman** **Online!** 30/3/2025 3:46 PM

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Ashton and Stockton are the two teams that mathematically we have a chance of catching.

Unfortunately, Stockton keep sneaking wins by the odd goal. Their last three wins have been by 1-0 and the last time they won by more than one goal was 8 weeks ago. Ashton ended a six game winless run by beating Hebburn 5-1 and they now have a 3 goals better goal difference than Ilkeston.

Our next opponents are Hebburn whose form has nosedived since New Year's Day when they beat Workington and were 6th in the table. Since then, their next 14 matches have produced just one win. six draws and seven defeats.

So a win for us at Hebburn looks promising while Basford could do us a favour at home to Ashton United.
Stockton are home to Worksop and I'm really hoping Stockton don't win that one.

At the other end of the table, there's a real chance of us losing our annual seaside trip to Whitby. It looks like Whitby or Matlock for the drop. They're both on 40 points and wondering where their next points might come from. Marlock have a 4 goal advantage on goal difference. Bamber Bridge have 43 points and Lancaster have 44 so could get drawn into the dogfight but for me it's Whitby or Matlock who will will be relegated. Mickleover have no chance of escape and Basford probably need to win 4 of their remaining 5 matches.

Last edited by Matchman (30/3/2025 6:11 PM)

**Posted by Matchman** **Online!** 31/3/2025 2:04 PM

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Stockton (65 points) remaining matches
Sat 5 Apr. H. Worksop Town
Sat 12 Apr. A. Prescot Cables
Sat 19 Apr. H. Morpeth Town
Mon 21 Apr A. Hebburn Town
Sat 26 Apr. H Hyde United

Ashton United (63 points) remaining matches
Sat 5 Apr. A. Basford United
Sat 12 Apr. H. Gainsborough Trinity
Sat 19 Apr A. Bamber Bridge
Mon 21 Apr H. Mickleover
Sat 26 Apr. A. Workington AFC

Ilkeston (58 points) remaining matches
Sat 5 Apr. A. Hebburn
Sat 12 Apr. H. FC United of Manchester
Sat 19 Apr. A Macclesfield
Mon 21 Apr. H. Matlock Town
Sat 26 Apr. A. Bamber Bridge

**Posted by Alex** 31/3/2025 6:47 PM

It's Easter Saturday what's going to do us.

**Posted by Matchman** **Online!** 01/4/2025 10:52 AM

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Who's going to win the play offs?

Worksop are big favourites.

Guiseley fans not feeling confident?

Votes so far:

Worksop 56%
Stockton 14%
Ashton 14%
Guiseley 11%
Ilkeston 5%

Last edited by Matchman (01/4/2025 10:55 AM)

**Posted by Alex** 01/4/2025 3:32 PM

If Matlock go down and Worksop go up. We are stook in a bit of no man's land.

If we stop in the NPL our local derby's next season will be Gainsborough and leek but if we go south our local derby would be quorn.

We we could do with Whitby going down and Guiseley going up.

**Posted by Matchman** **Online!** 07/4/2025 9:57 PM

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Unfortunately our win at Hebburn didn't improve our playoff chances because Ashton and Stockton also won.

Matlock's home defeat to Morpeth combined with Whitby's away win at Lancaster has put Matlock back in real relegation danger. Matlock are now 3 points adrift with 4 games left and one of those games is at Ilkeston.
The Bank Holiday match (Mon 21 April) which is the penultimate match of the season could be of massive importance to both Ilkeston and Matlock.
If that is the case then we should get our biggest attendance with two or three hundred coming from Matlock.

Last edited by Matchman (07/4/2025 9:58 PM)

**Posted by Matchman** **Online!** 08/4/2025 1:05 PM

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Relegation threatened teams form over the last four matches

Points in last
4 matches
Workington. 46 points 4
Lancaster 44 points 1
Bamber Bridge 43 points 6
Whitby 43 points 3
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Matlock 40 points 4
Basford 35 points 3
Mickleover 32 points 4
*Blyth 18 points 0

* already relegated

Last edited by Matchman (08/4/2025 1:06 PM)

**Posted by Matchman** **Online!** 15/4/2025 7:31 AM

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Who will make the playoffs?
Who will be relegated?

Bamber Bridge could hold the key as they play both Ashton and Ilkeston in their final three matches)
They also play against fellow relegation threatened Lancaster

These are the final 3 matches of Ashton and Ilkeston

Ashton 66 pts. GD +17 Bamber (A), Mickleover (H), Workington (A)

Ilkeston 62 pts GD +16 Macclesfield (A), Matlock (H). Bamber B (A)

These are the final 3 matches of the relegation fighters :

Matlock 43 pts GD -9 Worksop (H), Ilkeston (A), Lancaster (H)

Whitby 46 pts GD -14 FC Utd (A), Blyth (H), Macclesfield (A)

Workington 46 pts GD -9 Prescot (H). Morpeth (A), Ashton (H)

Bamber B 46 pts. GD -9. Ashton (H). Lancaster (A) Ilkeston (H)

Lancaster 47 pts GD -10. Rylands (A) Bamber B (H), Matlock (A)

Hebburn 48 pts. GD -5 Gainsboro' (A) Stockton (H) Basford (A)

Last edited by Matchman (15/4/2025 8:57 PM)