The 7th Place Play-Off

[Dominic]

Rumours were flying round the net at the weekend that the play off between the 7th placed teams in R1N and R1S has been scrapped. But looking on the Staines site i found this-

 

[color:"blue"] All Ryman League Club secretaries received a letter from the League this morning, prior to this evening's EGM, proudly being hosted at Wheatsheaf Park.

 

The effect of this letter, as we understand it, is that all previous Ryman League ground grading criteria has been suspended for twelve months and thus ALL teams finishing in the top six in the regionalised Divisions' One WILL be promoted (7th placed teams into a play-off.) However, teams with 'B' graded grounds (like Lewes, Cheshunt and Leyton) will not be able to take part in the Conferece south play-off (if they finish as Champions.) Ground grading will be applicable again next season and so teams with 'B' grade grounds MUST raise their standard to 'A' if they're to remain in the Premier Division (level three) following that.

 

All this means a reprieve (in the short term) for Lewes and the like, but a removal of the straw (that the likes of Bromley were clutching)as they hoped to back-fill in place of un-graded clubs.

[/color]

 

I just wish the details will be made public as the play-off may turn out to be a major factor in our season. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

 

 

[BFR]

Thats a lot of dancing for me and Radders then Dom

[Guest]

Done some rough sums based on games left.

 

Assumption: Home games = 3 points, Away games 1 point

 

Windsor & Eton = 98

Lewes = 93

Worthing = 89

Dulwich = 88

Hampton & Richmond = 87

Slough = 84

Staines = 84

Bromley = 76

Leatherhead = 75

 

As can been seen it could go down to goal difference as Slough and Staines will have same points for 6th & 7th places.

 

Will the walton, bracknell and casuals games come back to haunt us?

[GarySTFC]

Staines have the easiest run in of the top seven and with us very likely to drop points against Windsor, Leatherhead or Worthing, I can't see us finishing higher than seventh.

 

We've also got to go to Egham - nice bumpy playing surface there and they'll be well up for it and Met. Police - has C.Casuals written all over it (Nice playing surface, team struggling at the wrong end of the table)

 

Staines meanwhile are on a good run of form and realisitcally are the only team in the top six we are likely to catch. Given they have strengthened their side recently, I can't see them dropping many points between now and the end of the season either. The only side out of form in the top six are Lewes and they are too far ahead to drop out of the top six now.

[PJ-STFC]

There is already a definite 'break point' in the table, between 7th/8th places. So I would venture to say that the top seven teams are just about decided now.

 

This is, of course, assuming that none of the teams go through a patch of super-human, or super-stupid form. (Slough players, please note!)

 

It goes without saying that the Rebels are the team most vulnerable to dropping out of the 7, especially with the now-traditional run of inconsistent form currently.

 

What is so galling is that, until recently, Slough Town could have been certain of a top-six finish through the team's own efforts. Yet now, even if every remaining game is won, we still have to hope that some of our competitors slip up to be certain.

 

Come on you Rebels! (PLEASE!!!)

 

PJ <img src="/images/graemlins/chat.gif" alt="" />

[Martin]

Not wishing to be pedantic PJ but if Slough and Staines both win all their remaining games we will both finish with 92 points. We currently have a 3 goal advantage and an extra game to boost that further. It would more or less be in our own hands because if we thumped everyone we would finish 6th on goal difference. But I admit that it is highly unlikely and in reality we require Staines to slip up.

 

When it is all set out like this it makes that Casuals result look even worse. <img src="/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

 

But as I have said on another thread I believe we can still do it but we need another February-esque run.

[Martin]

I meant to ask but does anyone know what grading Stag Meadow has? Does anyone know what the rules are re: ground sharing when it comes to entry into the Ryman Prem etc?

[GarySTFC]

SM would be fine in both senses. Can't see many points being dropped there to be honest.

 

Staines Run In:

Bracknell (a) Won 3-0 at home

Marlow (a) Won 3-0 at home

Croydon (h) Won 4-0 away

Ashford (h) Won 5-1 at home

Walton (h) Won 4-2 away

Horsham (a) Drew 0-0 at home

Met Police (h) Won 3-1 away

 

Slough Run In:

Leatherhead (a) Won 3-1 at home

Molesey (h) Won 3-0 away

Windsor (a) Lost 3-1 at home

Whyteleafe (h) Lost 2-0 away

Egham (a) Won 3-1 at home

Met Police (a) Won 3-1 at home

Worthing (h) Lost 2-0 away

Croydon (h) Lost 1-0 away

 

Just comparing some of the results in the run in & others:

 

Croydon - We got beat there, Staines won handsomely

Walton - we only took one point from two games. Likewise Marlow.

 

Just can't see it happening myself.

[Ian]

Just before it all went t*ts up at Bracknell, and then even more so at Casuals, who was it that posted about not losing a game until the end of the season?!!

 

Irrespective of what has gone beforehand we have to now get behind the players until the very last ball is kicked. The players need to find the form that saw them beat everyone in February and they can do so if we allow them to play without the fear of making mistakes.

 

Yes they were awful at Casuals and arguably deserved some of the abuse they got. Let's now forget that though and make sure we give them every encouragement so they can play in the way both we and they know they can.

[Nathan]

I thought we beat the Met Police 3-0, not 3-1?

[PJ-STFC]

Martin

Please feel free to be pedantic <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> (I couldn't be bothered to calculate the figures).

 

I think my point was that Slough have no more games against the 'top six' teams*, and hence cannot do anything DIRECTLY to improve the team's position in the table. All the Rebels can do is try to win as many games as possible and avoid losing any points - then it is down to the other teams to keep up.

 

PJ <img src="/images/graemlins/chat.gif" alt="" />

 

*[OK, so we do have games against Worthing and Windsor. Assuming Worthing continue their form and win most of their games in hand, a victory for Slough against either team will not be enough on its own for us to move up the table - movement requires the other teams to slip up. Bother!]