Something For The Weekend: National League North

And there are some intriguing battles at both ends of the table.

Blyth Spartans vs Salford City

In the race for promotion, the stand-out match pairs Blyth Spartans, currently fourth, with leaders Salford City at Croft Park.

A big crowd is anticipated in the north-east, the majority of who will be looking for the home side to attempt to narrow what is becoming a massive gap between them and the Ammies.

The sides will kick-off at 3pm with Salford possessing an eleven-point advantage on Spartans, both having played 19 games.

Salford had north protecting a six-game unbeaten run, while Blyth have won their last three in league and cup after a mixed bag of results in October.

Curiously, Alun Armstrong`s side have yet to draw a game this season, but Salford will have to keep a tight hold on the division`s second top scorer Daniel Maguire, who has 13 league goals to date.

Boston United vs York City

Boston`s recently-appointed manager Craig Elliott, who did such a superb job at Shaw Lane AFC lower down the Pyramid, will be desperate to narrow the gap between his team and nineteenth-placed FC United of Manchester when they host York City at the Jakemans Stadium.

Boston have won just one of their last ten games and exited the Trophy at Kidderminster Harriers last weekend.

The gap between the Pilgrims and the safety-mark is currently four points, and Elliott certainly doesn`t want to head into the busy Christmas and New Year fixtures having to play catch-up.

York too have a relatively new manager in former Darlington boss Martin Gray and the Minstermen are currently sixth in the table, but there`s a big gap between them and the top three, so a play-off place may be the best they can obtain this season.

York came through their potential banana skin of a Trophy tie with Evo-Stik League Premier side Coalville Town last Saturday and will be looking to return to winning ways in the league after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by Kidderminster last time out.

North Ferriby United vs Nuneaton Town

Another two clubs with fairly new managers with Ferriby only just having appointed former player Chris Bolder as their new boss after the departure of Steve Housham last week.

To say Bolder has a massive task in helping Ferriby avoid back-to-back relegations would be an understatement!

His brother Adam has also recently returned to the club as a player, but it may be that the club are already looking towards the future outside the National League North.

Nuneaton will be looking to lengthen the current ten-point gap between them and Ferriby when they travel to the EON Visual Media Stadium.

Dino Maamria`s side have drawn their last two league games and, although he would have wanted all three from the home game against Curzon Ashton last Saturday, he would have been delighted to have shared the spoils with play-off chasing Chorley at Victory Park the week before.

In contrast, Ferriby have lost their last two games 4-0 and have taken just two points from their last ten league matches.