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A preview of the games set to take place in the National North League tomorrow written by Richard Dorman.
There’s a slightly slimmed-down schedule in the Enterprise National League North this weekend – FA Trophy progress for a few Step 2 sides have caused four fixtures to be postponed.
But there’s nine games scheduled to go ahead… and they’ll be champing at the bit to get going again. Especially those nine sides who saw their league encounters called off in midweek due to the wet weather!
That includes league leaders South Shields, who had their top-two fixture with AFC Fylde postponed on Tuesday. With the Coasters in FA Trophy action, South Shields could extend their lead at the top if they win at 21st-placed Oxford City.
But they'll need to be wary. Oxford City have three wins in their last four home games, all against top-half teams: Darlington, Buxton, and a shock triumph against Fylde last Saturday.
Darlington welcome Merthyr Town to the north east on Tuesday. The Martyrs still sit third but have had a barren week – they’re looking to avoid a third straight defeat for the first time this season after back-to-back losses to Southport and Telford. Hosts Darlo, meanwhile, sit fifth and are undefeated in the new year.
Chester also came out empty-handed in each of their last two fixtures and now sit 12th. But in a congested table, they could close the gap on this weekend’s visitors Radcliffe – who lie sixth – to just three points if they can claim victory.
The only other side occupying a play-off position in league action this weekend is Scarborough Athletic; they welcome Worksop Town, who are winless in four.
Peterborough Sports clambered back above the dotted line with a turnaround win against Macclesfield in midweek. They visit Chorley, who are winless in their two fixtures in 2026 to date.
Curzon Ashton return home for the first time since their 8-0 humbling at the hands of Telford, and prepare to host a Hereford outfit seeking their first win in six games, in all competitions.
If relegation-threatened Alfreton Town are going to escape the drop this season, then it’s fixtures like this weekend’s trip to King’s Lynn Town that could be all-important - a rearranged encounter that got frozen off three weeks ago. The Linnets are two points above the drop-zone and are winless since November.
For all the talk of Macclesfield's upcoming FA Cup fixture with Brentford, they have three home fixtures in the National League North to consider first. First of which is Bedford Town, who are five points clear of the drop.
And finally, floating around the mid-table area are Buxton and Spennymoor Town, who meet in the Midlands on Saturday. The Bucks are in fearsome form, coming in on the back of consecutive wins by four-goal margins against Marine and Radcliffe. Spennymoor are searching for a first win in seven.