#DROPWATCH IN THE VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE - BOREHAM WOOD v WEALDSTONE IS HUGE GAME THIS WEEKEND

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	FORM	PP
10.	SOUTHEND UNITED	43	19	12	12	65-42	+23	59	WDDWDW	68
11.	ROCHDALE	42	15	11	16	65-61	+4	56	DWWWLD	68
12.	DAG & RED	43	14	12	17	63-56	+7	54	DLWDWD	63
13.	HARTLEPOOL UTD	42	15	8	19	62-75	-13	53	LDDLWD	65
14.	AFC FYLDE	42	14	10	18	71-75	-4	52	WLDLWW	61
15.	MAIDENHEAD UNITED	42	13	12	17	51-60	-9	51	LWLLWW	60
16.	EASTLEIGH	42	13	11	18	70-84	-14	50	DLLDWL	59
17.	YORK CITY	43	11	17	15	53-67	-14	50	DLWWWD	59
18.	WOKING	43	13	10	20	43-51	-8	49	WWLWDD	58
19.	EBBSLFEET UTD	41	13	10	18	57-68	-11	49	WWLWDD	61
20.	WEALDSTONE	40	12	11	17	51-61	-10	47	WLDLLL	65
21.	KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS	43	11	13	19	39-52	-13	46	DDDDLW	55
22.	BOREHAM WOOD	42	10	14	18	52-73	-21	44	LLLLLL	59
23.	DORKING WANDERERS	42	12	7	23	48-76	-28	43	LLDLLD	58
R.	OXFORD CITY	43	8	8	27	53-90	-37	32	DLLLWL	41

It looks as though the fight to avoid relegation from non-league's top table will go down to the final day of the season. Oxford City are already relegated but then it's down to any three teams from Maidenhead United downwards as surely AFC Fylde points total of 52 is enough to keep them in the division. 

Here we take a look at the teams involved and assess their chances of beating the drop.

DORKING WANDERERS 

The Wanderers host Altrincham this Saturday before a HUGE midweek game at Wealdstone next Thursday and they then end their season with a tough away trip to Rochdale followed by a home game against Hartlepool United.

They are currently four points from safety with a -28 goal difference which is the worst in the division aside from Oxford City. It's looking a tough challenge for The Wanderers to stay up and they will need to win at least two of their remaining three games to give themselves a fighting chance- even that could not be good enough to see them stay up. They have only one victory in their last ten games and have conceded sixteen goals in their last six. 

BOREHAM WOOD 

The news has been announced today that Manager Luke Garrard will be leaving at the end of the season. He took over as boss in October 2015 following the departure of Ian Allinson who had taken the Hertfordshire side to The National League for the first time in their history with a National South play-off victory over Whitehawk at the end of the 14/15 season. 

Garrard has taken The Wood to the National League play-offs three times going to close to promotion the football league in the 17/18 season losing the final to Tranmere Rovers at Wembley Stadium. Then there was the famous FA Cup run of 21/22 where victories over Barnet, Eastleigh, St Albans City, AFC Wimbledon, AFC Bournemouth got them to the Fifth Round where they played Everton at Goodison Park. 

It's been a disastrous 23/24 campaign for the club with seventy-three goals conceded and just ten wins from their forty-two games played. Like The Wanderers they have a poor goal difference of -21 and are currently three points from safety - this could be key I think as many fans see Goal Difference counted as a point so 'technically' Boreham Wood are 'four' points and Dorking Wanderers are 'five' with just twelve points to play for?  

Six defeats in a row and just one win in their last ten games has seen The Wood drop into the relegation zone. 

This Saturday is a MASSIVE Hertfordshire/Middlesex derby at Wealdstone visit Meadow Park which a a real relegation six pointer! Just eleven miles sperate the two grounds and it's only seven miles from Borehamwood to Wealdstone so they will be plenty of visiting fans for this one. 

They then travel to Rochdale and Aldershot Town before ending the season at home to Ebbsfleet United. 

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS 

Harriers looked relegation certainties until the arrival of former Hull City boss Phil Brown in early January who replaced outgoing boss Russell Penn who is now in charge of Southern Premier League Central side Halesowen Town. Promoted via the National North play-offs in 2023 they got only four wins from twenty-eight games which has improved to a very impressive seven from fifteen games under Brown. 

	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	PPG
PENN	28	4	8	16	20-37	-17	20	0.71
BROWN	15	7	5	3	19-15	+4	26	1.74

Their amazing 1-3 win over champion's Chesterfield on Monday was their first win in seven games (four have been draws) and they will carry lots of confidence from this into their forthcoming home games against FC Halifax Town (who also need a win in their race for the play-offs) and Eastleigh. They end their season at Barnet who may have one eye on their play-off campaign as they are likely to finish as runner's up in the division. 

WEALDSTONE 

The Stones lost their much loved Manager Stuart Maynard in January as he moved into the football league with League Two side Notts County. He had been in charge of the club since February 2021 after Dean Brennan left - He was assistant to the now Barnet boss since May 2019. 

Under Maynard the Middlesex side established themselves amongst the full time National League clubs with bigger resources improving their finishing position each year from 19th to 16th to 13th. 

David Noble was quickly appointed joining from National South side St Albans City and won his first game in charge 2-0 against FC Halifax Town - since then they have just two wins in fourteen games. Their last two games have been 0-1 defeats at already relegated Oxford City and at home to play-off hopeful's Solihull Moors who scored the winning goal in the 96th minute! 

	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	PPG
MAYNARD	25	9	6	10	34-26	+8	33	1.32
NOBLE	15	3	5	7	17-25	-8	14	0.93

As mentioned they have a huge game at Boreham Wood this weekend followed by four home games in week against Southend United (Tues), Dorking Wanderers (Thurs), Chesterfield (Sat) and Eastleigh (Tues) and then end their season with a tricky trip to Oldham Athletic who could still have a chance of a play-off place on the day. 

EBBSFLEET UNITED 

The Fleet parted company with manager Dennis Kutrieb in January who has been replaced by Danny Searle. Under the former Aldershot Town and Braintree Town boss results have improved from a 25.81% win rate to a 50% win rate but they are not safe yet! 

	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	PPG
KUTRIEB	31	8	6	17	38-56	-18	30	0.97
SEARLE	10	5	4	1	19-12	+7	19	1.90

The Kent side host AFC Fylde this weekend before a midweek trip to Solihull Moors next Tuesday. The play Altrincham in their final home game followed by trips to FC Halifax Town and Boreham Wood.

WOKING 

It's been a difficult season for The Cards who finished in fourth place last season which was their highest position since they finished in third place in the 97/98 campaign. Darren Sarll left his job as Manager in November and has been replaced by Michael Doyle in first full time job as Manager - before he was player/assistant coach at Forest Green Rovers and Professional Development Phase coach in the Portsmouth FC academy. 

Four wins and three draws in their last ten games has lifted them to 49 points but they are still in danger of the drop.

They have home games against Dagenham & Redbridge and AFC Fylde as well as a trip to York City in their final games. 

YORK CITY 

The Minstermen are another side to have a positive new manager bounce under Adam Hinshelwood who recently joined from National South side Worthing. The first four games under new management were three defeats including a 1-6 defeat at Altrincham but since they have won against Aldershot Tow, Bromley and Chesterfield along with an important point won on the road at FC Halifax Town last night. They have two home games against Eastleigh and Woking followed by a final day away trip to Solihull Moors. 

	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	PPG
KUTRIEB	35	9	15	12	43-53	-10	39	1.11
HINSHELWOOD	8	3	2	3	10-14	-4	11	1.38

I'm sure they'll be a few twists and turns and lots of drama in the forthcoming weeks - It could go down to the final day with only Oxford City down and three relegation places to be decided. 

WEEKEND FIXTURES FOR CURRENT BOTTOM EIGHT

BOREHAM WOOD (22nd) v WEALDSTONE (20th)

DORKING WANDERERS (23rd) v ALTRICNCHAM (4th)

EBBSFLEET UNITED (19th) v AFC FYLDE (14th) 

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS (21st) v FC HALIFAX TOWN (8th) 

WOKING (18th) v DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE (12th)

YORK CITY (17th) v EASTLEIGH (16th)

OXFORD CITY (24th) - NO GAME