Kendal Town have five games to finish the season in the Northern League and the Mintcakes are treating them like cup finals.
None is probably as important as tomorrow’s home game with Whitley Bay, one of their main rivals for a play-off place.
The Bay are third in the table, a point better off than Kendal and from two less games while Matt Flynn’s men have West Auckland and Boro Rangers breathing down their necks.
The first two in the table – Guisborough and Shildon – are well clear so it’s a battle for three play-off places and probably involves five or six clubs.
Kendal have had 400-plus crowds for five of their last six home games and are desperate to top 500 for this one which has so much significance in the race for the play-offs.
Meanwhile Penrith hope to finish their season with a push for the top half of the table, with manager Jim Nichols hoping his side can bounce back after the mid-week defeat to Carlisle City in the Fred Conway County Cup semi-final.
It’s a tough one tomorrow as the Bonnyblues (13th) travel to Easington Colliery (9th) with their hosts still believing they can challenge for the play-offs.
Penrith will be without the injured Kian Makar while Robbie Ivison is away.
Carlisle City are one of the sides who will suffer most from the demise of West Allotment Celtic, losing six points after they did the double over the stricken club.
Invigorated by Tuesday’s County Cup win, manager Dan Kirkup is looking for a big finish from his side to make up for the disappointment of the points deduction.
Kirkup reports a full-strength squad after Tuesday’s win over Penrith, although Jay Kelly is struggling with a knock he took in that cup game.
In the North West Counties Division One, North Holker Old Boys are at home to Bacup Borough after suffering a disappointing draw in mid-week.
They were 2-0 up at home to AFC Blackpool with goals from Patrick Allington and Luke Davey but convceded inn the 83rd and 90th minutes to share the spoils.
Bacup, who lost 3-1 at home in mid-week to lowly Ashton Athletic, are one place and two points above Holker but the Barrow side have a game in hand.
In the West Lancashire League, Whitehaven can put aside their Ptremier Division woes when they travel to CMB in the quarter final of the President’s Cup – a chance to salvage something from a disappointing season.,
CMB aren’t the force they were last season but have accumulated 24 league points while Whitehaven are bottom with only five points so far.
Manager Brian Dawson will again have to rely on youth with several key and more experienced players unable to travel.
Cleator Moor Celtic visit Hurst Green who are up in sixth place in the table, so it will be a potentially tough Premier Division clash.
However manager Gareth Agnew is happy with the squad he’s taking, a good mixture of youth and experience, and looking for a good performance.
Millom are also involved in League action and a renewal of acquaintances with Astley and Buckshaw United who accompanied them up from Division One this season.
Milnthorpe Corinthians are without a first team fixture this weekend.
In the Wearside League Windscale travel to Easington Lane who share their ground with Seaham Red Star.
Dan Morgan and Josh Wise will be absentees due to personal commitments and both played big parts in last week’s win over league leaders Gateshead Leam Rangers.
There’s no change to the injury list which sees four miss out again but they are boosted by the return of club captain Reece Fretwell and Lewis Selkirk, so they take a full squad.
