It will be interesting to watch these playoffs with absolutely no stress about it. Hope Halifax beat Solihull
Boston it is for us on Saturday, a Lincolnshire derby I wanted to avoided them as they've been the better team against us twice this season, we've got to step it up
Good. Nothing against Bath whatsoever but, with the memory of how terrific their fans were after we beat them in the 2016 playoffs, I'd like to see Braintree get back up. Big ask for Boston to go again on Saturday after being taken the distance tonight but all the pressure has to be on Scunthorpe. Is it a case of promotion or the sack for Jimmy Dean?
I wouldn’t sack him but I’ve never been Dean out, some of our fans would sack him if we went up. I think our fans expect too much, we’re a NLN team so we have a NLN manager. His tactics and subs aren’t going to be perfect. While we should have won the league with the squad we have, it’s not always that simple. We were on the brink of not existing in September and we’re still in with a shout of promotion in April I’ll consider that a good season.
A tough watch, that, as it tends to be with Billy Heath's teams. Alfreton looked the more likely to score but somehow we kept them out. The defence has really stood up recently; that's four clean sheets in a row now, including extra-time tonight. Some top class penalties from both sides meant it only took one decent save to win it. Onto Scunthorpe. Lincolnshire derby. I prefer them as an opponent to Brackley, who really had our number three weeks ago. Should be a cracking atmosphere. The players will need to rest up over the next couple of days. Tonight will have taken plenty of out them.
Feels like you've been the bridesmaids so to speak a few times in the National North play offs this last few years. Maybe it's your time this time around
The thought that the winner of Braintree and Chelmsford is one game from coming up is a horrifying thought
Boston or Scunthorpe please I wanted Bath up. Worthing and Maidstone both have plastic pitches. Urggh
The M180 is closed on Saturday which is gonna make the traffic near the crowd horrible but should be a great atmosphere apart from that
I wish real life worked like that! This is season 14 in NLN in a row for us, if you include the null & void Covid season. So 13 completed seasons of which we've made the play-offs six times, losing two finals (2020 and 2022), three semi-finals and still going this season. It might prove to be a season too early for this particular (pretty young) group but they certainly have it in them to get over the line with some luck. It was hard on Alfreton. They were the better team on the night. It won't be any consolation at all for your mate but my view was that both of Alfreton's centre-halves (but particularly the #5) were immense all evening. They read the game well and won every header. Thanks. I've seen that mentioned. I'm taking the train up so hopefully won't be affected apart from maybe the train being busy.
