Tuesday April 23rd National League North, Play-Off Eliminator Alfreton Town 0-0 Boston United* (AET) National League South, Play-Off Eliminator Braintree Town 1-0 Bath City (AET) Wednesday April 24th National League, Play-Off Eliminator Solihull Moors 4-2 FC Halifax Town National League North, Play-Off Eliminator Chorley* 0-0 Curzon Ashton (AET) National League South, Play-Off Eliminator Maidstone United 2-1 Aveley (* Won on penalties.)
Surely Essex solidarity can only go so far? Bath is a far superior away trip to either Braintree or Aveley and Aveley also have a plastic pitch.
I do not want to play Braintree or Aveley in a league game, especially the latter. We have to have some shame left.
As much as Chorley is a far better day out I kind've want to see the 409 bus route derby in full next season just for the novelty. Rochdale - Oldham - Ashton. Bath to come up from the South would also be great. My preference would be to lose to least attractive away from this league's POs. So, sorry Halifax, got to wish for a Solihull win here. Your fault for providing such a good away day.
Solihull is ok if you get there early and go into town. Loads of good pubs and also the 'Tap & Tandoori' to take on Surely is the worst away day in the Division ?
I’d say so. There’s no parking and nowhere to get a pint or anything round the ground. However… Oxford wasn’t very good because of its location and pretty poor facilities, and I’m not sure York have improved their away day experience by moving where they have either.
I think Dorking has the biggest mismatch between the town as an away day and the ground itself as a matchday experience!
Worst away I had all season. Tbh though it was a mid week and drive job. Maybe a Saturday on the train is better. But from my house that'd be an utter ballache. Quicker and easier to do the London aways for me. There didn't seem to be anything within about 2 miles of the ground. Ignore that though the whole set up at Solihull just seems odd. Been to plenty out of town grounds. But theirs just seems like an afterthought plonked on the side of a dual carriageway. About 800 people rattling around an empty stadium with loads of mis matched stands. Didn't mind Oxford at all. Ground was rustic and provided an interesting 'welcome to NL' in our first away game. But it was easy to get to from the city centre. Nice pub nearby. And Oxford is decent itself.
Anyone but Braintree and Chelmsford from the south, please! Southend fans - they may be local, but Braintree is a horrible place to go, and Chelmsford has the worst away end i've been to (flat standing apart from 3 rows of seats and there's an athletics track in between the away area and the pitch, so good luck trying to see the far touchline)
So mow Gateshead are appealing. What are they hoping to achieve here. There play off game would have been tomorrow
Probably feel they have a duty to their fans to appeal, but I agree it's a complete waste of time as it's not in the league's hands. The EFL have said they missed their deadline and they won't allow tje late agreement, so that's the end of it.
So presuming the Gateshead appeal fails, as it's very likely to do and their situation remains unchanged with their council and the ground. Why would players from our level and above go their, knowing their is no route up to the EFL. I would think that their best offer to get new blood in would be from lower leagues, with a promise not to stand in their way if an offer from higher up comes in and Heed would sell the "we'll help put you in a bigger shop window" selling pitch. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be singing "nowhere, Gateshead are going nowhere." when we all play them next season. As l say the above is on the assumption that nothing council wise changes, regarding their ground.
Good luck to Boston tonight . Growing up in South Lincs if you were a real world fan then either Posh , Boston or The Wimps were your 3 choices whereas others in school chose Liverpool , Leeds , Man U & latterly Forest who started doing well in the late 70's .
