VICTORY for Evesham United tomorrow and defeat for Northwood will lift the Robins out of the automatic relegation area in the Southern League, writes Mervyn Collins.

However, their hopes of avoiding the drop will then depend on the outcome of Hendon's Isthmian League Premier Division clash at Margate.

Should Hendon fail to win then the Robins will have earned a remarkable reprieve and top-flight status will have been dramatically preserved.

Radcliffe Borough's 1-0 victory at Witton Albion on Wednesday night lifted the Lancashire outfit on to 41 points - United's final total if they were to beat Chesham United in the last-ever league game at Common Road.

However, fellow strugglers Bradford Park Avenue visit Radcliffe on Saturday meaning that any result would leave either side with more points than the Robins and thus safe in the overall situation.

Officials at Common Road have been left bamboozled by details contained within the Southern League tables that state that "the team finishing 19th to be relegated unless points per game record is superior to the teams finishing in 19th place in the Northern Premier and Isthmian Premier Divisions".

However, both the Southern and Isthmian websites state: "The clubs in the bottom three places in each of the three divisions will be relegated. These nine clubs will be joined by an additional club, this being the club finishing fourth from bottom in the three divisions with the lowest points gained per game played."

If the latter applies then United can still escape but the first option means that they are already down!