RAMSBOTTOM United can all but guarantee their place in the Evo-Stik League First Division North play-offs tonight as they head to Merseyside with a mission to accomplish.

Saturday’s crushing 4-0 win over Mossley – one of their main rivals for a top-five spot – put the Rams in the box seat and they know if they claim three points from their trip to Prescot Cables tonight they know it would need a string of bizarre results for them to be denied a play-off.

A win against the third-from-bottom Cables at Hope Street would take them to 79 points with two games to play.

The Rams want to get the play-off issue put to bed as soon as possible as they face the toughest of all trips on the final day of the season as they must travel to face champions Skelmersdale.

Padiham are another side facing a crucial game tonight as the North West Counties League Premier Division leaders can take another massive step towards the league title and promotion into the Evo-Stik League system if they can once again dig deep on their travels.

The Storks beat promotion rivals Maine Road on Saturday and as a result went three points clear with three games to play.

Like Ramsbottom, Padiham are also on Merseyside tonight – and they face Bootle, who have a game in hand on the Storks but are three points behind and have an inferior goal difference.

Should Padiham win they will need just three points from their final two games to be confirmed as champions – and they travel to face lowly Ashton Athletic on Saturday before a final day trip to another of their main rivals for the crown Runcorn Town.

Barnoldswick Town welcome AFC Blackpool to the Silentnight Stadium while in the First Division Nelson bid to move into the top half of the table as they travel to Leek CSOB.