Northern One West play-off previews - Hednesford Town and Chasetown prepare for play-off semi-finals

The Pitmen narrowly missed out on the title and automatic promotion - finishing second behind champions Widnes.

Hednesford host Vauxhall Motors tonight (7.45pm k/o) for their play-off semi-final while South Staffordshire rivals Chasetown visit Congleton Town. If both win, then they will face-off in the play-off final, battling to reach step three in non-league football.

After losing just once in their final 20 league games, Vaughan said his Hednesford side enter the play-offs in high spirits. 

He said: “We’re excited, this is why we came to Hednesford, for big occasions like this. We are confident and the home advantage will be massive.

“I don’t think we fell short in the league, I think we came in too late. It was always going to be a stretch, and wasn't nothing we were looking at massively because it was never in our hands.

“Our focus was always to get that second spot and the home advantage. From where we have come from it is a massive achievement.

“Our worst performance of the season was Vauxhall Motors and we knew things had to change. I am glad they have seen the worst of us. Unless they were really poor against Widnes it looked like they were happy to play us in the play-offs so that is going to spur us on. 

“We have to treat it like any other game, these lads play for Hednesford and if you do, you have to play under pressure. They have to thrive and it won’t be the last time they are playing under pressure.

“We have gone on an unbelievable run, but to be back at Keys Park with a fantastic crowd who have been unbelievable and 

Meanwhile, Mark Swann expects a tough test for his Chasetown against Congleton Town who the Scholars failed to beat in their two meetings this season.

The sides played out a 3-3 draw in August before Chasetown were beaten 1-0 in January. But, Swann has urged his side to relish the opportunity as they seek to achieve their ultimate goal.

Asked what it would mean to secure promotion, he said: “That’s what we are all there for, from the moment me and Jamie (Hawkins) walked in. The goal is to get the club into the level that I think it suits.

“With the ground and everything, it is all set up to go, then it is down to us as a management team and the players to get us to where the club needs to be.

“You have got to embrace it. It is going to be tough.

“We drew with them earlier in the season, they beat us there. It is a tough place to go and is quite hostile.

“We have got to keep doing what we have. Our form hasn’t been too bad. We know their strengths and weaknesses but we have got to make sure we embrace it and give 110 per cent which our lads always do.”