THERE is one week remaining in the NCEL Division One season with three Barnsley clubs still in the promotion race.
Wombwell Town are third, guaranteed a place in the play-offs and still in with a chance of automatic promotion.
Dearne and District will definitely be in the play-offs while Worsbrough Bridge are four points outside the top five going into their final two games.
The league season ends on April 12 with the play-off semi-finals set for April 19 and the final on April 26.
Wombwell Town won 3-2 at home to second-bottom Appleby Frodingham on Saturday.
They are four points off leaders Horbury Town with a game in hand, and behind second-placed Wakefield on goal difference.
They have three games remaining, at Armthorpe on Saturday then Harrogate Railway on Tuesday before completing the league season with a Barnsley derby at home to Athersley Rec.
Their manager Karl Rose said: “We have three absolutely massive games left. We’re right in with a shout.
“It’s very much a three-horse race.
“All we can do is win our three games.
“At one stage we were 18 points behind Horbury and we clawed them back.
“Pressure comes into it and your mind plays tricks on you.
“If Horbury win both games, they win the league, but no team will roll over for them.
“When you think something is done and dusted in football, amazing things happen and that’s why we love it.
“We would have taken this at the start of the season and it’s been an amazing season.
“We are guaranteed a top three finish and at least a home semi-final in the play-offs.
“We are the top-scorers with 102 goals and have the second most clean sheets and the fewest losses.”
Town fell behind on Saturday but Niall Smith and Owen Fieldsend netted at the end of the first half then Jordan Kershaw added a penalty just after the interval. Appleby scored again seconds later but were beaten.
Rose said: “It was a scrappy game. They were fighting for their lives and that result sent them down.
“We were missing a few players.
“It was just about getting the three points. Everyone expected a big win but Appleby had been on good form and it was a lot tricker than it looked.
“We were disappointed with the sloppy goals we gave away but happy to win and score three.
“We have had a lot of midweek games in the last few months so it’s nice to have a break this week.”
Dearne and District secured a place in the play-offs with a 4-0 win at Selby Town on Saturday.
Justin Circuit opened the scoring then Jamie Austin added a late brace with Taylor Nicholson also on target.
Dearne – who joined the league this season – are fourth and are highly likely to finish there then visit whoever comes third in the play-off semi-finals.
Manager Zeph Thomas said: “The boys have been excellent.
“They deserve to be in the play-offs and the table doesn’t lie.
“When I spoke to the chairman about this season, it was about consolidating and getting used to the league.
“But we’ve surprised a lot of people including him.
“What will be will be. We will have no pressure on us which helps.
“Now we’re in it, we want to win it and prove people wrong. We definitely have the squad for it.
“We’ll try to win the last two league games, get as many points as we can and keep confidence high while making sure everyone gets minutes.
“We’ll have an away game in the play-offs but we’ve travelled well this season. Wherever we play, the lads will be buzzing for it.”
Worsbrough are sixth, four points outside the top five play-off places.
They won 2-1 at relegated bottom club Yorkshire Amateur on Saturday thanks to a Chris Simpkins brace after they fell behind.
Bridge are now due to visit another relegated club in second-bottom Appleby Frodingham before completing their season at home to mid-table Armthorpe.
In order to finish in the play-offs, they realistically would need to win their last two games and hope fifth-placed Ilkley – who have a far better goal difference – only collect one point.
Bridge – who did not win any of the first nine games of the league season – could also break their club record for the highest points total at NCEL level which is 73. They are currently on 69 with two games left.
Manager Lee Morris said: “It’s not in our hands. We just have to take care of what we can and hopefully somebody does us a favour.
“There have been many twists and turns in the race and hopefully there are another couple of them.
“Even if we picked up a couple of wins in the first nine games, we would be in the play-offs now.
“75 points would be a club record and we’re on for the club’s highest finish.
“Even if we don’t make it to the play-offs, it’s still been an unbelievable season. But we will give everything to get in the play-offs.”
On Saturday’s game, Morris said: “It’s never easy going to bottom of the league when they have nothing to play for. We struggled against them and the windy conditions didn’t help.
“We weren’t good enough in the first half but then we were much better in the second half.”
Athersley Rec collected a point from two home games this season.
They lost 2-1 against Swallownest on Saturday, having taken the lead through James Woodhouse just before half-time.
They then drew 1-1 against Harrogate Railway on Tuesday.
Alfie Bakes put Rec ahead at the break but the visitors levelled on 77 minutes.
Rec are 16th with 44 points from 39 games, and three to play.
They could finish anywhere from 12th to 17th.
