Merthyr Town will be battling with Leamington, Hitchin and Slough for the right to earn promotion via the Southern League play-offs.
The four have already qualified, but it’s not clear yet in exactly which order they will finish.
Leamington will be at home in the play-off semi-finals having clinched runners-up spot, while the other three could yet finish in any order.
They each have one fixture left to play with Merthyr at home against Hayes and Yeading United, who are second from bottom in the Premier Division.
A Martyrs win would ensure they have a home semi-final against Hitchin or Slough. The format is second v fifth and third v fourth.
Southern League officials have set Wednesday, April 26 as the date for both semi-finals (7.45pm).
The winners will play each other in the final on Monday, May 1 (3pm). The final will take place at the ground of the club who finished highest out of the two clubs.
Merthyr are hoping Ian Traylor will be available for this Saturday’s final league match against Hayes at Penydarren Park (3pm).
Traylor suffered a gash to a leg during the win against St Ives and had eight stitches in the wound. He will be assessed later this week.
Curtis McDonald and Jack Compton are also on the mend after injuries, while Scott Tancock limped off with an ankle injury in the first half of Merthyr’s 1-0 win at Redditch United.
That leaves the Martyrs with only one recognised central defender – Jarrad Wright – but manager Gavin Williams hopes that either McDonald or Tancock will be ready to play.
Substitute Kyle Patten did an outstanding job alongside Wright when he took over from Tancock at half-time, while full-backs Adam Davies and Scott Barrow were both outstanding.
Behind the back four goalkeeper Oliver Davies was safe and solid, making one flying save from a free-kick, while winger Corey Jenkins caught the eye going forward.
This Saturday’s visitors, Hayes, have had mixed results over their last six matches three wins and three defeats. They have kept clean sheets in each of their victories.
Southern League
Premier Division – all teams play 46 fixtures
Top six only
Champions promoted automatically, next four qualify for play-offs.
Format for play-offs: 2nd v 5th, 3rd v 4th.
Pl GD Pts
1 Chippenham Town 45 +45 100
2 Leamington 45 +46 92
3 Merthyr Town 45 +46 86
4 Hitchin Town 45 +34 85
5 Slough Town 45 +28 84
6 Banbury United 45 +28 80
Southern League Premier Division fixtures on Saturday: Banbury United v Kettering Town; Basingstoke Town v Hitchin Town; Biggleswade Town v Frome Town; Cambridge City v St. Neots Town; Chippenham Town v St. Ives Town; Dunstable Town v Cinderford Town; King’s Lynn Town v Chesham United; Kings Langley v Cirencester Town; Merthyr Town v Hayes & Yeading United; Slough Town v Redditch United; Stratford Town v Dorchester Town; Weymouth v Leamington.
