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Aldershot: Eyeing promotion

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Top two battle for automatic promotion

Blue Square Premier leaders Aldershot (evens for promotion) have a four-point gap over rivals Torquay (8/15) in the race for automatic promotion to the Football League.

Promotion favourites Torquay beat Farsley Celtic 2-1 on Wednesday December 12 and have a game in hand on the Shots, who are second favourites.

The table doesn't lie and I think one of these two will go up automatically. However, there are a number of other teams vying for promotion, either automatically or through the play-offs (the teams finishing second to fifth go into the play-offs for the second promotion place).

Stevenage (7/4) are third in the table and in new boss Peter Taylor they have a manager who has won promotion with a number of other clubs. I also think Cambridge (9/2), Burton Albion (9/2) and Forest Green (15/2) have a great chance of reaching the play-offs.

If Aldershot and Torquay continue their form, one will go up automatically but the other will have to settle for the play-offs. That means three from Stevenage, Cambridge, Burton and Forest Green for the other three play-off berths. All four are having a great season and if Forest Green striker Stuart Fleetwood can continue his great form for the rest of the campaign then Rovers will be well-placed for a play-off spot.

In the relegation zone are Northwich (no odds available at time of writing), Droylsden (1/7 for relegation), Stafford Rangers (1/5), Altrincham (4/5) and Farsley Celtic (8/11).

Northwich won two matches recently and are now level on 10 points with Droylsden and Stafford. Altrincham have 15 points with Farsley on 17. The Vics are finding form in the league and recently appointed Dino Maamria as their new manager following the completion of a takeover.

I think it's four from those five for the drop, although Weymouth (8/1), Crawley (9/1), Halifax (12/1) and Rushden (16/1) could all get dragged into the relegation fight.