Sporting Khalsa secure play-off spot - as Chasetown miss out
Sporting Khalsa will take their place in the Northern Premier League Midland Division play-off - however Chasetown missed out despite a 4-0 win on the final day.
James McGrady was the Sporting hero with a match winning brace to secure his side’s place in the play-offs on Tuesday evening.
In an exciting final day which saw a handful of clubs vying for the last two play-offs spots, Sporting saw off third placed Spalding with goals in either half.
McGrady capitalised on a mix up in the visitors’ defence to fire Sporting ahead on 27 minutes.
But Spalding were quickly back on level terms when Lewis Hilliard smashed a 35th minute penalty into the top corner.
With local rivals Chasetown winning comfortably at Cambridge, Sporting could not afford any slip ups and McGrady ensured Ian Rowe’s team ended the season on a high with a 66th minute winner.
As fourth place finishers they will play away at Spalding in their play-off semi final with Halesowen at home to Coleshill.
For Chasetown, it wasn't meant to be despite a 4-0 thumping of Cambridge City.
A nervy, tense start saw Chasetown on the front foot but unable to break through a stubborn, resilient Cambridge side.
The hosts were beginning the process of time wasting but the Scholars finally broke the deadlock when Luke Yates fired low beyond keeper Caleb Chandler.
The wasted time came back to haunt City as Ryan Boothe smashed the ball home with the final second of first half injury time.
Jack Langston was a yard away from killing the game midway through the second half with a long range effort that saw Chandler clasping at thin air.
With news breaking that Coleshill Town and Sporting Khalsa were winning, the mood amongst the visiting fans dropped, only for Boothe to sidefoot home second goal to wrap up the points in the 75th minute.
Langston smashed his 99th league goal for the club in the dying minutes but from a play off perspective it was all in vain.
