Below is this weekend's Midland Premier League preview:
Three games on Thursday night as teams play catch up following the horrendous winter. Hereford face the long journey to Long Eaton United looking to close the gap on Alvechurch at the top of the table. When the two sides met back in October, Hereford won it with a single goal – they would settle for the same again. 3rd placed Sporting Khalsa can close the gap to 7 points should they beat relegation-threatened Coventry Sphinx at the Aspray Arena. Walsall Wood have eyes on a top 5 finish and they welcome Rocester to Oak Park.
On Saturday, the top two have away trips to sides struggling near the foot of the table. Leaders
Alvechurch travel to Sphinx Drive to face a Coventry Sphinx side playing their second game in 3 days. Hereford have one of their longest journeys of the season as they head to Nottingham to face 2nd bottom Dunkirk, a repeat of the opening game of the season which the Bulls won 4-1. 3rd placed Sporting Khalsa are off to Church Lane for a game against mid-table Boldmere St Michaels. All Khalsa can do is keep winning and hope the pressure begins to tell on the top two. 4th placed Shepshed Dynamo are too far adrift for a promotion push but a top four finish is the obvious target. They welcome 10th placed Rocester to the Dovecote.
Heanor Town have had an excellent first season in the MFL and they travel to Westfields eyeing a top 5 finish. At the bottom, survival is looking unlikely for Continental Star and they probably need to win most of their games starting this week at Dales Lane against AFC Wulfrunians. Bardon Hill are battling to finish out of the bottom three and with games in hand on Coventry Sphinx, they can make a significant step to safety with a win at Stourport Swifts. Quorn are far from safe particularly if Coventry Sphinx and Bardon Hill get on a run. They have a tough trip to Loughborough University themselves comfortably in the middle of the pack. Two teams that will be disappointed with their league positions are Coleshill Town and Long Eaton United and they meet in a game that has goals written all over it at Pack Meadow. Highgate United are another side that can realistically aim for a top 5 finish and they travel to Stourbridge Road to face Lye Town, who have won 6 of their last 7.