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Saturday's Blue Square North Preview

Second-placed Southport have the chance to go top of the Blue Square North this weekend but must first overcome Stafford Rangers away from home.

The Sandgrounders have a potentially easier task ahead of them than league leaders Fleetwood Town, who host third-placed Hinckley Utd and with two games in hand, Liam Watson's side will not want to miss the opportunity to close in on their hopes of automatic promotion.

Southport come into the match off the back of a 3-0 win over AFC Telford with 10th-placed Rangers only managing a 1-0 win over lowly Harrogate Town. Fleetwood were impressive in their 4-2 demolition of Blyth Spartans but face a Hinckley side that ran riot in their 5-3 victors over Gloucester.

At this stage in the season the jostling for first and second remains a two-horse race with the chasing pack some seven points adrift off second-placed Southport.

Eastwood Town share the same number of points as Hinckley on 44 and will confident of a win over AFC Telford that will help cement their play-off hopes. Despite drawing 1-1 with Alfreton Town in their last encounter, Eastwood have been on a good scoring run while Telford have seen their play-off hopes diminishing as they dropped down to ninth with 32 points from their 24 games.

Fourth-placed Droylsden face a tricky test away to Ilkeston Town. The Bloods have been impressive so far this season and are deserved of their lofty position, but Ilkeston, not content with their mid-table standings have boosted their attacking prowess as they aim to kick start their season.

Alfreton Town remain an outside bet to qualify for the play-off but will need to get back to winning ways against 16th-placed Gloucester. The Reds have recorded back-to-back 1-1 draws, against Vauxhall Motors and Eastwood Town and boss Nicky Law has challenged his side to "win as many games as we can to get those points on the table as soon as possible", he told This is Derbyshire.

Managerless Stalybridge Celtic travel to mid-table Northwich Victoria on Saturday. Celtic are seven points better off than their opponents this weekend but their form suggests otherwise. While Stalybridge have zero points from their last two matches, Northwich have claimed maximum points, scoring freely along the way.

Elsewhere, there could be a complete reworking of positions at the bottom-end of the table as Solihull Moors and Farsley Celtic prepare to do battle, Blyth Spartans take on Gainsborough, Hyde taking on Harrogate Town and bottom-club Vauxhall Motors hosting Redditch.

A victory in midweek lifted Farsley Celtic back up to 15th but a victory on Saturday for Solihull would see them move above their hosts.

Trinity manager Brian Little is desperate for three points after admitting that he "can't wait any longer" for his side to start winning. It has been almost three months since their 1-0 win over Gloucester on October 31 but they face a Blyth side on the back of a comprehensive 4-1 win over Blyth Spartans.

There is a four point gap between fourth-from-bottom Hyde and Solihull, with Celtic a mere two points ahead of them in 15th, and with the Tigers set to face 21st-place Harrogate Town, it is a tie they cannot afford to lose. Town are hoping for a 'bit of luck' to kick start their season. Assistant boss Tom Wade told Knaresborough Post: "We just need that bit of luck, the ball to go in off a backside, anything to get us going," he said.

"If we get out of the bottom three it will relieve a bit of pressure on the boys. I think then they'll play with a lot more confidence and I'm sure our situation will turn round.

"It's an important game against Hyde, they're just above us but they're still a good side, there's no bad sides in the division this season, it's a really competitive league.

"Vauxhall have drawn two on the bounce, Blyth Spartans were up there and now they're down again so you can't take anything for granted.

In the day's other game, bottom-club Vauxhall Motors host Redditch. Nine points separate the two sides but looking at Redditch's recent form it is a game that Vauxhall fans will hope they can win to move them within a mtter of points of securing their Blue Square North safety.

All the fixtures in full:

AFC Telford v Eastwood Town

Blyth Spartans v Gainsborough

Fleetwood Town v Hinckley Utd

Gloucester v Alfreton Town

Hyde v Harrogate Town

Ilkeston Town v Droylsden

Northwich v Stalybridge

Solihull Moors v Farsley Celtic

Stafford Rangers v Southport

Vauxhall Motors v Redditch