Paullow

Stockton and Dunston both won 1-0 so progress to their respective finals. Dunston will be at home, Stockton away to Worksop who finished 2nd. Dunston scored deep into injury time.

2,125 at Stockton tonight, their biggest crowd of the season, 600 more than what they got vs Oldham in the FA Trophy and 700 more than they got vs Macclesfield in the league, but still 0-0 at half time. 903 at Dunston and they are also 0-0 at half time.

Great crowd indeed, 671 for a step 6 match is fantastic. Good luck to both Stockton and Dunston tonight in their respective home playoff semi final matches. Both 0-0 after about 15 mins.

I see Middlesbrough have been promoted from tier 4 into tier 3 next season. They led the table by +3 GD on the final day and their nearest rivals were at home to the bottom side, so a real chance Boro could have been pipped even if they won their final match. They both won and Boro even won by the bigger margin, and ended up with a +5 advantage. Probably good news for some fringe and local Newcastle players. Just looking at their website and I knew the likes of Wilkinson, Skelton, Boyes etc. went this season, not sure how many games they got or if they will be good enough for tier 3 next year, but I also see that Georgia Gibson, Becky Ferguson and Kacie Elson are on their website - I think Gibson went on loan, but not sure about the others, but I was thinking those who have climbed the divisions here, but perhaps not quite good enough to be starting for a team looking to go up to the WSL, could maybe look to head there as well, possibly the likes of Barker, Potts, maybe Donnelly etc. and they could still stay in the area.

Not too much going on in terms of the NPL Premier and East on the final day for the local clubs. Stockton did win to pip Guiseley into 3rd place, so those sides face each other on Teesside on Tuesday night and not West Yorkshire in their playoff semi final. Dunston were guaranteed 2nd and a home path in the playoffs, but they lost today to a playoff chasing side, which wasn't great for Newton Aycliffe who finish 6th and miss out following a draw. Dunston play Emley, also on Tuesday night. Heaton and Ashington both ended their league campaigns with wins and they finish 12th and 16th respectively. Consett lost to Emley, which didn't also didn't help Newton Aycliffe.

After 4th placed Blue Star won away at the 3rd placed team yesterday, 5th placed Blyth Town have beaten 2nd placed Shildon, so it's Newcastle Blue Star at home to Blyth Town on Friday night for a place in the NPL East next season. Definitely be another Northumberland member in the 8th tier next season, and could well have a Blyth derby.

Winner for Partick with the last kick of the game vs Falkirk. Falkirk were 8 points clear of 2nd placed Livingston 2 weeks ago, but they've only taken 1 point from their last 3 games, Livingston have won their last 2 in that period and if they win tomorrow, they will be level on points heading into the final match of the season next Friday.

Blue Star 2-0 up away at Boro Rangers in the play off semi final. If it stays the same, they'll play Shildon or Blyth Town in the semi final, the latter would be at home if they came through. 0-3 now, so that's done and dusted.

That is crazy. Worthing drop from 1st to 4th after a draw in GW45. Your boys are a home win away from the title, but if they lose (to someone who have to get something to stay up) then they could well not even have a play off semi spot, or not even a home playoff quarter final spot either. Not sure I've seen a league that tight at this stage.

Brighouse 2 Garforth 2 - means Ashington are staying up as well. Brighouse equalised in 90+1 against 10 men and there were 7 mins added, I was refreshing the NPL site for ages, but just finished a minute ago, so maybe had 10 mins injury time. If Brighouse had found a winner they would have been 2 points adrift with the bottom team to play on the final day and (out of form) Ashington would have likely had to have taken a point on the road, but they survive. Means there will definitely be 8 or 9 former Northern League sides in that league next year, depending on if Dunston or Newton Aycliffe get promoted in the playoffs. Dunston/Newton (or both), Blyth S, Bishop Auckland, Consett, Heaton, Ashington, Redcar, NL playoff winner. Those 3 deducted points came in very handy.

I was debating going but didn't, half time at Ashington vs Heaton. Great crowd of 707. Currently 0-0 - wouldn't surprise me too much if this ended a draw...

Looks like Matlock are going to be docked 3 points, in which case that would be them relegated with 2 games to spare meaning Hebburn, Whitby (and Workington) will still be playing step 3 football next season.

Deserved, to be fair.

Consett are officially safe in tier 8 with Brighouse losing today (as are Bishop Auckland, who beat Brighouse). Ashington vs Heaton on Monday feels a little less important now. A win for either would guarantee safety, but looking at GD, a draw would probably suit both.

What's happened to Hebburn @Paully? Another defeat today. Lost any players / staff, or just starting to find the level above tough and possibly being found out? The great start probably wasn't sustainable, but I think it's like 1 win and 6 draws from their last 17 matches and they are now adjacent to the relegation zone. Matlock need to win both of their matches, but if they do, then you'd probably fear the worst. Stockton could only draw with Morpeth in front of 1250 and now drop from 3rd to 4th, playoff secured, but will have their semi final away, as it stands. Hebburn vs Stockton on Easter Monday. Matlock are away to Ilkeston on Monday, who are still chasing the final playoff place, and they will be down unless they take all 3 points.

Shite that. You wait until 84 mins, thinking / hoping they'll hang on / see it out, building up the hope and then goes just like that.

Not often you get 9th tier discussion on GSS. That's the equivalent of the likes of Newcastle Blue Star, Whitley Bay etc.

Pedro should miss the match against us now, assuming no successful appeal.

Big wins for Consett and Heaton, the former look pretty safe now, would take an extraordinary set of results for them to drop. Ashington vs Heaton could still be a big game, mainly depending on how Brighouse got on at Bishop Auckland tomorrow.

Finished 2-2. Better than it could have been, but still a poor result given Aheffield are bottom, already relegated and had lost 5 or 6 in a row. Still, could be a crucial point come 2 games time.

You're way behind, they equalised 25 mins ago, it's 2-2 heading into injury time.

Carlisle take the lead against leaders Port Vale, but in the same minute nearest relegation rivals Accrington also take the lead, so would be as you were with a game fewer if it stays the same. Tranmere are at least losing.

It is a bit of a mixed bag. Derby vs Luton was a big game, and a logical pick in terms of Championship, and while this evenings games don't look as appealing now, nobody would have thought Sheff U would have lost 3 in a row to make the top 2 battle less compelling. I guess if they did win at 5.30pm, then it will put more pressure on Leeds at 8pm, so at least it's that way round in terms of the watching neutral as if Burnley and Leeds had both won before Sheffield hypothetically played at 8pm, and were both 8 points clear, then it would be even worse. No idea why they are showing Mansfield vs Rotherham as the main match at 3pm, that just seems the most random pick ever, and while I'll probably just watch the scores then, the main coverage is obviously much better than a red button match. Not sure why there's no 12.30pm league match on Saturday, but our game is big at 5.30pm as you say, as the race for the top 5 is the most interesting thing going at the moment. I saw 'Super Sunday' advertised and had the exact same thoughts. Probably going to be 0-2 and 0-3 type matches, but I guess if Ipswich did somehow pull off a win, Sky would be absolutely kicking themselves if they weren't showing Liverpool securing the title live, even if it is just a case of when they win, and no jeopardy. Obviously Fulham vs Chelsea is just on Sunday because of Europe (likewise Man Utd), and otherwise would have been 3pm on Saturday, but I'd much rather watch that match over both Sky games with it being a local derby and one team going for Conference and the other for Champions League and a close looking match on paper.