There are less than two weeks to go in National League South’s regular season, with many players having one eye on their summer holidays. Truro City, however, are in the midst of nine games in 17 days, thanks to the weather. This week they have matches on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Their home games are taking place 195 miles from Truro at Gloucester City’s ground because Truro’s shared pitch at Plymouth Parkway (a mere 54 miles from Truro) cannot accommodate them after heavy recent rainfall. This prompted an earlier move to Taunton’s Wordsworth Drive but constant deluges caused problems there, too, and their rivals still have six games to play themselves. It also rains up north, leaving the North West Counties Premier Division side Colne with 10 games in 19 days. Three of their home games will be hosted by other clubs, but the good news is they face Padiham in the Lancashire Cup semi-final on Wednesday and if they win that they earn another match.
Finances
As always in the non-league pyramid there has been no shortage of clubs facing financial difficulty. Marske United withdrew from the Northern Premier League in January because spiralling costs made it impossible to finish their season despite attempts to raise funds. Nuneaton Borough also failed to complete the campaign, withdrawing from the Southern League Premier Division Central at the turn of the year. The good news is they are aiming to return to the pyramid next season as Nuneaton Town. National League South side Torquay risked heading into oblivion and entered administration, receiving a 10-point penalty for doing so, but they have a number of takeover options and hope to be saved. The Gulls are five points above the relegation zone with three games remaining. There was better news at Scunthorpe where David Hilton’s tumultuous reign ended, amid a winding-up petition, threat of eviction at Glanford Park and players considering strike action. Local lifelong fan Michelle Harness bought the club, who sit second in the National League North and broke the attendance record at that level when 7,511 watched them draw 2-2 with Chester in March.
North West Counties Premier Division
The Premier League is not the only place hosting a three-way race for the title. There is a battle at the top of the North West Counties Premier Division between Wythenshawe FC, their close rivals Wythenshawe Town and Bury. Two and a half miles and four points separate the two Wythenshawe clubs in first and second; Town are top with 92 points, FC and Bury are four points behind, each with a game in hand. Town have an ace up their sleeve in the form of the former Premier League forward George Boyd, who joined the club midway through the season, just over two years after announcing his retirement from the professional game. In 2015 Boyd scored a winner in the top flight against Manchester City; nine years later the 38-year-old will be aiming to lead his side to the title with Chadderton and Skelmersdale United standing in his way
