WITH all games in hand now played, it is a straight race to the finish line for Warrington Town and their play-off rivals.

Yellows were one of the teams who had played a game less than those around them and as such, their 1-0 win at Basford United on Tuesday saw them move up to fourth in the Northern Premier League Premier Division table.

Here is a look at how things stand with four games remaining…

THE TABLE

Here is the table as it currently stands...

Warrington Guardian:

The race for the title appears to be a two-horse affair between pre-season favourites Buxton and South Shields, with the former two points clear.

Buxton have already mathematically guaranteed a play-off place at worst, with South Shields needing just one more point to be assured of at least a top-five spot.

Behind the leading pair, Yellows are among a trio of teams separated by just two points while there is a tightly-bound bunch of sides outside the top five aiming to keep pace with the hope of sneaking in.

For Mark Beesley’s side, the equation is simple.

If they win all of their remaining four games, they will finish third in the table given they travel to Matlock Town – the team who currently occupy that position – on the final day of the season.

This would be significant, given third place would mean their play-off semi-final is played at Cantilever Park.

THE RUN-IN

Of the five main contenders for the three play-off spots that remain, all finish with two home games and two matches on the road.

Warrington Guardian:

While they must negotiate an extremely tricky home game against Stafford Rangers – the team with the division’s best away record – first on Saturday, Yellows will sense an opportunity given their final-day visit to Matlock is their only other game against a side currently in the top half.

Easter Monday could well be a pivotal day, with Town at home to relegation-threatened neighbours Witton Albion – always a tough affair regardless of form – while their rivals all face difficult away fixtures.

THE FORM

While their season has been blighted by inconsistency throughout, Town are actually in the best form of the five main play-off contenders over the past 10 games.

They have taken 18 points from 30 available – one point more than Scarborough have taken in the same time.

Whitby (13) and Bamber Bridge (11) are also struggling for consistency while Matlock – long-time leaders of the division – have slumped alarmingly of late and have taken just nine points from their past 10 games.