User tools SmallNormal Text SizeLargePrintBookmark the SiteEmail this Page

Blue Square Summary | 6th April 2010

Posted on: Tue 06 Apr 2010

The race for top spot remains on a knife edge whilst Grays were the first side to be relegated in an action-packed Easter weekend.

Luton Town are still in the hunt for automatic promotion to the Football League after their derby win at leaders Stevenage on Saturday followed by a massive victory at home to Grays on Easter Monday.

More than 7,000 fans packed into Broadhall Way to see the Hatters end Boro's 33-game unbeaten home run thanks to Matthew Barnes-Homer's 55th minute strike. They then followed it up in style by beating Grays 6-0 at Kenilworth Road two days later to rack up their ninth consecutive victory and send out a warning to Stevenage who are just two points ahead but have still have a game in end.

Graham Westley's men responded to their 1-0 defeat at the hands of Luton by comprehensively beating AFC Wimbledon 3-0 at the Kingsmeadow Stadium to maintain their slender lead at the top of the Blue Square Premier.

With only two and a half weeks left of the season, Oxford's title hopes look all but over after they sank to a 2-1 defeat at Hayes & Yeading on Good Friday before beating Salisbury 1-0 at home three days later. Chris Wilder's charges now look set for a spot in the play offs after winning just two of the last eight matches and they now trail top-placed Stevenage by eight points.

Rushden & Diamonds and York should both finish in the other two play off berths after the Minstermen's 2-1 over Altrincham on Monday and Diamonds' 1-1 draws with Crawley and then Kidderminster that took their unbeaten run to 10 games.The gap between fifth-placed York and sixth-placed Kettering now looks insurmountable at nine points.

Despite their narrow defeat at Bootham Crescent, Graham Heathcote's Altrincham side look set for their highest ever finish in the Blue Square Premier after Saturday's 3-2 home win over Kidderminster saw them consolidate 10th position.

At the other end of the table, Grays' relegation to the Blue Square South was confirmed following Saturday's stalemate with Kettering and their heavy loss at Luton on Monday whilst half a dozen clubs could still join them with the lower echelons of the league looking as tight as ever.

Ebbsfleet and Forest Green Rovers are currently in the bottom three after Fleet could only take three points from six over the Easter Period and the Rovers banked zero. The Gloucestershire outfit suffered defeats to Eastbourne and Tamworth, who both put further daylight between themselves and the drop zone in the process, whilst Liam Daish's men managed to beat Eastbourne 1-0 but still trail them by two points.

Barrow, Gateshead and Salisbury could all still be dragged into it with only five points separating 17th and 22nd positions. Salisbury eased their worries slightly by beating Ebbsfleet 3-1 on Easter Monday whilst Gateshead beat Cambridge 2-0 at the International Stadium on Saturday followed by a 0-0 draw at Wrexham two days later. Meanwhile Barrow lost 3-0 to Tamworth but have three or four games in hand over their fellow relegation contenders.

In games elsewhere, our sorry weekend helped both our victors to comfortable mid-table positions. Both Wrexham and Cambridge can now look forward to life in the Blue Square Premier next season after their respective wins made them mathematically safe from the drop. Tamworth, Histon and Hayes & Yeading should also be safe after picking up points in their games.

Advertisement
Blue Square Premier
 Related Articles
 Latest Videos
 News Archive
Display Stories From Week
Mansfield Town FC business finder is powered by city-visitor.com & cityvisitor.co.uk

All materials on this website © Mansfield Town Football Club & FLPTV Ltd.

Photographs are © James Williamson, Richard Parkes, Mark Stevenson and Empics

Part of the
Club Player network

Company Details



No editorial or photography may be reproduced elsewhere
without prior permission from Mansfield Town Football Club.


Mansfield Town Football Club, Field Mill, Quarry Lane, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG18 5DA

Tel:  01623 482 482 | Fax:  01623 482 495 | E-mail:  info@mansfieldtown.net

All rights reserved save as per website Terms of Use. Privacy Statement. Subscription terms and conditions.

Accessibility.

For all advertising and sponsorship enquiries, please click here