Chester Road left with no room for error

With just five rounds left to play the Whitchurch-based outfit find themselves five points behind second-placed Meole Brace and 13 adrift of leaders Newport. Rogers admits his side will have to keep winning while Newport will probably need to stumble if they are to catch them.

But he said defeat tomorrow would completely slam the door shut on their dwindling title chances.

"We'll keep trying to catch Newport and hope they slip up but we are definitely out of it if we lose this one," he said. "I am hoping we will get at least a win, and the bigger the better."

But fourth-placed Castlefields are expected to present a major stumbling block.

The Shrewsbury-based club are arguably the form side at the moment having won their last eight games, including their last three away, as well as taking home scalps against the top two.

Friday's visitors have conceded they are probably just too far behind the top three to mount a challenge for the summit.

But they are taking aim at a third-placed finish and a win at Chester Road would be a major step towards securing that.

Chester Road are also currently adapting following the loss of key player Charlie Weaver, who has moved to Nottingham.

The county-level player has been a mainstay in the team this year and Rogers said his replacement had not yet been decided.

Both teams will have one eye on the results from Newport's game with Ford and Meole Brace's trip to Ifton.

Neither of the top two can afford any major slip-ups between now and the end of the season if they are to realise their title ambitions.

Elsewhere in the league, Wrockwardine Wood will host Archibald Worthington while Wem will visit Sir John Bayley. Basement side Bylet have used their concession against St Georges.