WE have been asked more than once to clarify and confirm how the play-offs work so here goes. To work out the matches depends on how the five play-off clubs finish and with five clubs scheduled to play this Sunday, August 27, including Oldham v Midlands Hurricanes at the Vestacare Stadium (3pm), we won’t know exactly who plays who, and when, until the final hooter sounds in each of Sunday’s games.
However, we do know now that Dewsbury Rams have already won the Betfred League One championship, so they are promoted automatically. Also promoted and this we don’t know yet — is the winner of the five-club play-off series which will feature, currently standing in this order, Hunslet, Doncaster, OLDHAM, Workington Town and North Wales Crusaders or Rochdale Hornets.
Don’t forget Dewsbury finished top, so in terms of numbering for the play-offs, Hunslet are currently 2, Doncaster 3, Oldham 4, Workington Town 5, North Wales Crusaders or Rochdale Hornets 6.
It works like this:
WEEK 1 (two games):
- ELIMINATION FINAL, 5 V 6 (loser out);
- QUALIFYING FINAL, 3 V 4;
WEEK 2 (two games):
- FIRST SEMI-FINAL, winner of Elimination Final v loser of Qualifying Final (loser out);
- SECOND SEMI-FINAL, No 2 will play the winner of the Qualifying Final
WEEK 3 (two games):
- PRELIMINARY FINAL, winner of First Semi-Final v loser of Second Semi-Final (loser out);
- Winner of Second Semi-Final will have a bye to the Final.
WEEK 4 (one game):
- PROMOTION FINAL, Winner of Preliminary Final v winner of Second Semi-Final. Winner promoted.
Note: In each match the higher ranked club will have home advantage unless a lower-ranked club beats a higher-ranked club in an earlier play-off series match, in which case their rankings are switched over.
Mike Ford has since confirmed that, if things work out in Oldham’s favour, there could be a Promotion Final at Boundary Park.
Now that would be a mouth-watering proposition!
