With the final matchday of the Vanarama National League South approaching, six teams could still statistically be taking the honours of the league title in a fiercely contested campaign.
1. Truro City, 86 pts
John Askey has steered the Cornwall-based side to pole position, before the final matchday. With the 2nd best defensive record in the league, Truro have managed an impressive +30 goal difference. The goal difference is the only stat separating Truro City from second-place Torquay United who have +28.
Massively the underdogs this season, only the second season at step two after winning the playoffs in the Southern League Premier 22/23. Last year Truro managed a stable 16th place securing survival comfortably 9 pts above the relegation spots. The part-time side has broken all expectations and lead the way heading into matchday 46.
Truro are set to face St. Albans at home, who desperately need a result to survive relegation from the National League South- currently 21st only on goal difference. St. Albans need to make up two goals to be safe as Enfield has scored more throughout the season. The return fixture resulted in a 2-1 victory for the Tinners with a penalty from talisman Tyler Harvey.
A very high-stakes fixture is lined up at the Truro City Stadium as both sides need a win for their respective campaigns. Truro will be looking to decidedly keep the top spot in their hands and not rely on results elsewhere.
2. Torquay United, 86 pts
Torquay, as a club, has faced difficulties recently, with a 10-point deduction last year due to financial issues within the club. This deduction, alongside another single-point deduction for fielding a suspended player, resulted in an 18th-place finish, which meant they narrowly avoided relegation from the National League South to step 3.
However, Torquay United are back to where they should be. On average, Torquay managed 3,788 fans at Plainmoor this year- a non-league side with a large fan base that belongs in the upper echelons of non-league.
This year, the TUFC have been the hardest team to beat in the league only losing seven times throughout the campaign so far. They’ll be hoping to keep it that way away at Hemel Hempstead tomorrow. Hemel is a side with nothing to play for now, safe from relegation and out of reach of the playoffs in 11th, a much less tricky fixture on paper than Truro.
Torquay United come into the fixture with three wins on the bounce, all without conceding a goal. As no fixture stands alone, confidence will be brimming travelling to Vauxhall Road, especially with the knowledge of the 1-0 win in the previous fixture between the sides, as Torquay attempts to get a potentially title-clinching win.
3. Eastbourne Borough, 85 pts
Another full-time outfit battling for promotion in the National League South, managed by Adam Murray who was appointed midway through last season. Despite finishing 19th last season, Murray’s Eastbourne Borough have kicked on excellently finding themselves only one point behind the league leaders.
Eastbourne Borough will be relying on other results going their way on the final day, as they need to make up 6 goal difference to match league leaders Truro. Eastbourne plays Weston Super Mare, which looks to be a fiercely fought encounter as WSM is still in touching distance of the playoffs, being 3 points away from Maidstone who occupies the last playoff place (and 14 goal difference away).
Eastbourne carry a good run into the final game of the season, unbeaten in four. Regardless of other results, Murray’s side will be looking for nothing less than a win to carry that momentum into the playoffs and hopefully earn themselves a home tie.
4. Worthing, 85 pts
After losing the playoff final last year to Braintree in heartbreaking fashion. Losing your manager previously and two of your best players later to the same club, Worthing has brilliantly responded this season back fighting for promotion with Chris Agutter’s first full season in charge.
The young manager followed the same steps as his predecessor, joining from Hastings and leading Worthing to the promotion places. For the Rebels fans hopefully, it doesn’t end the same way.
After recruiting well in the summer, Worthing still hasn’t quite replaced Ollie Pearce or matched their outstanding goal output of 104 in 23/24, with 73 goals this year. However, they do still find themselves with a shout of the title going into the final day and have undoubtedly secured a playoff place.
Worthing plays Enfield Town to round out the regular season, a side one spot out of the relegation zone- and only safe on goal difference. Despite league position, this will be no easy test away from home as Enfield will need to ensure safety, hopefully, for them, doing so with a win. On the other hand, Worthing hopes a win will be enough to clinch the top spot with results going their way.
5. Boreham Wood, 83 pts
The Wood have had a good season, albeit one many expected them to have with the calibre of manager and player available. Luke Garrard has a wealth of experience on his side with Jack Payne, Tyrone Marsh and Oluwafemi Ilesanmi all being long-time servants at the club and players who will certainly be influential within the dressing room.
Boreham Wood have struggled at times often losing two or three games on the bounce before finding their form again as seen in March with losing to Weymouth (2-1), playoff rivals Dorking (0-1) and another playoff side in Maidstone (4-0) before winning all four games on the run-in to the final game of the season.
Luke Garrard’s side faces Tonbridge for the final game of the season, another side with nothing to play for in the final game which should make it an “easier” fixture than some others around them. Garrard will be hoping his team can continue finding the net as Boreham Wood has the 2nd highest goal tally in the league and this will hopefully get them over the line.
6. Dorking Wanderers, 83 pts
Marc White’s side has been the most prolific in front of goal amassing 87 in total over 45 games of football. Whilst Dorkings fluid, possession football is very easy on the eye and results in a lot of goal output – it also makes them more vulnerable on the counterattack and prone to error. The Wanderers have conceded the 2nd most goals of any team in playoff contention, with 54 (1.8 PG), only bested by Worthing on 57.
A side tipped by many to be top of the table, a hybrid team with a squad teeming with quality. Dorking Wanderers struggled at the start of the campaign only picking up 12 of the available 24, eventually making up the difference with an 11-game unbeaten streak.
Coming into the final game of the season Dorking are 6 games unbeaten. Dorkings final game of the season comes at Meadowbank against Chesham United, another side who are safe from relegation yet out of reach from the playoffs. Whilst it is statistically improbable for Dorking to have five other playoff sides lose to take the title, Marc White will want nothing less than a win to get a home tie for the playoffs and hope to replicate what they achieved in the National League South 21/22 campaign gaining promotion to the National League through the playoffs.
7. Maidstone, 78
Maidstone are a side that cannot challenge any higher positions in the playoffs, five points off any other promotion side above them. However, going into the final matchday of the season will be instead looking beneath them at Weston Super Mare, who if they can make up 14 goal difference are within 3 points of the Stones and could nick their playoff place from them.
In all seriousness, Maidstone don’t have anything to play for in the final matchday of the regular season against Farnborough (A). Instead, George Elokobi’s men need to be looking ahead to the playoff games with an extremely tricky test away from home, regardless of who they play.
A positive for Maidstone is that they have only lost three fixtures against other playoff sides- never losing to the same team twice. On the flip side, winning five does put them in good stead heading into the playoffs.