The penultimate month of the regular playing season starts on Saturday, so Joe Horn looks at a hectic month, as well as looking back at February

Another month with Chester top of the table, but there is just one point now separating them and Scunthorpe.

February has been and gone, with Darlington winning two, drawing one and losing one, but what about the rest of the National League North?

Well in terms of form, Chorley top the form table, having won six of their seven fixtures in February and picked up an average of 2.57 points per game. Spennymoor sit second with three victories and one loss from their four fixtures, averaging 2.25 points per game and Scunthorpe take the final podium spot, achieving no losses (the only club to do so in February) and winning three and drawing two for an average of 2.2 points per game.

At the other end of the form table, it was another horror month for Farsley Celtic as they picked up zero points from their six fixtures, conceding fifteen goals in the process and are now nine points from safety. Warrington Town also had a poor month, only picking up the one point from six fixtures and this saw them fall to 22^nd also nine points off of 20^th placed Oxford City. The third worst team in the division this month goes to Rushall Olympic who bettered Warrington by one point, picking up two points from six games. Rushall also conceded the same as Farsley with fifteen goals conceded and currently sit at the foot of the table level on points with Farsley and Warrington.

In terms of managerial changes, Kevin Horlock left Needham Market at the beginning of the month, three days before his fifth anniversary at the club. He was replaced by his assistant Tom Rothery and Horlock has since got the Maldon & Tiptree job. Rothery has led Needham to a solid month with three victories, one draw and two losses, leading them three points off of getting out of the relegation zone. Neil Redfearn who was only hired on the 17^th January has left Farsley Celtic. Former Darlington goalkeeper David Stockdale is the new man in the dugout at Farsley having previously managed Blyth Spartans. So far, Stockdale has lost all his matches in charge as Farsley move closer and closer to the bottom of the table.

Team of the Month:

So, in terms of my team of the month I’ve gone for:

Goalkeeper: Peter Jameson (Darlington) – One of our own for the second month running, as Jameson only conceded two goals this month!

Defenders: Jake Dye (Needham Market), Chris Doyle (Marine), Mark Ellis (Chorley) and Matt Preston (Hereford)

Midfielders: Callum Roberts (Scunthorpe), Will Jenkins (South Shields), Will Van Lier (Peterborough Sports) and Luke Brennan (Buxton)

Attackers: Tom Carr (Chorley) and Tom Peers (Chester)

And for player of the month this month I would go for Mark Ellis of Chorley, a fantastic month for the side and Ellis has been paramount to that success with the veteran centre back scoring six goals this month!

League Standings and Key Fixtures Ahead

Last month I stated that the title fight was close. Well, this month it is even closer! Five points separate the top five with three of those sides having a game in hand on league leaders Chester. The playoff battle is diminishing slowly with 11^th seeming to be the cut-off point. Darlington seem to be in the best position to capitalise on the fading form of both King’s Lynn and Kidderminster sitting six points behind King’s Lynn with three games in hand. The relegation picture also looks significantly different with Needham Market breathing down Oxford City and Radcliffe’s neck as three points separate the three sides in what looks to be the decisive fight for relegation.

In terms of fixtures to watch next month Chester take on Chorley on the 8^th March, before then facing Scunthorpe on the 22^nd. Needham play Marine in a bottom of the table clash and Darlington have both Brackley and Hereford in the month ahead. Buxton take on King’s Lynn in a fixture that could help decide the playoffs and Kidderminster face Peterborough Sports in a game of the same nature.