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NON-LEAGUE PAPER
Bath City, Hampton & Richmond, Aveley and Farnborough all took it to the final week
in a bid to take the last two spots.
The story of the season, however, came at the bottom where two of the divisions big-
hitters over the years, Dartford and Havant & Waterlooville, both fell through the
trapdoor, along with Dover Athletic.
Torquay United, after having 11 points deducted through going into administration and
playing an ineligible player, could yet join them with Taunton Town and another big
gun, Eastbourne Borough, also in the mix.
In the Northern Premier League, Radcliffe rallied to the Premier division title under
co-bosses Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley with Warrington Rylands battling for
second with Macclesfield.
Leek Town won NPL West after a sterling season, while the East and Midlands division
are still up for grabs – the latter thanks to a six-point deduction handed to then leaders
Harborough Town for fielding an ineligible player.
Spalding United lead the way there with north-east rivals Stockton Town and Hebburn
Town battling it out in the East.
The Southern League Premier Central title went to Needham Market, under Kevin
Horlock, in the season where Nuneaton Borough perished, while Chesham United were
convincing winners of Premier South.
Both Step 4 divisions will go to the wire with Biggleswade Town holding pole position
over Bedford Town, Ware, Waltham Abbey and AFC Dunstable in Division One Central
honours and Wimborne Town and Frome Town neck-and-neck in Premier South. What
a game that is this afternoon at the New Cuthbury!
Hornchurch were thumping winners of Isthmian League Premier division with Chatham
Town impressive runners-up, but former big guns Kingstonian and Concord Rangers
dropped out.
Chertsey Town clinched the South Central title but the other two are set for a
showdown with Lowestoft Town going head-to-head with Bowers & Pitsea and
Felixstowe & Walton United for the North title and Kent rivals Ramsgate and Cray Valley
PM locking horns in a thrilling South East finale.
And talking of county rivalries, Romford and Great Wakering Rovers will be the pride
of Essex when they lock horns in the Isuzu FA Vase final on May 11.
With the play-offs filtering all the way down to Step 6 this season, there’s still so much
football to be played, so if you’re invested in the action as much as we are, then you’ll
pick up your Non-League Paper tomorrow.
Let the games begin.
By Jon Couch