Relegation-haunted Swaffham face a 'win or bust' Ridgeons Premier Division finale today against CRC to avoid a swift return to Division One. The third-bottom Pedlars picked up a morale boosting midweek draw at Stanway but trail Histon Reserves' by two points with a vastly inferior goal difference.

Relegation-haunted Swaffham face a 'win or bust' Ridgeons Premier Division finale today against CRC to avoid a swift return to Division One.

The third-bottom Pedlars picked up a morale boosting midweek draw at Stanway but trail Histon Reserves' by two points with a vastly inferior goal difference. The Blue Square Premier outfit are set to field another strong line up at Norwich United after hammering Lowestoft and Walsham-le-Willows in recent matches.

Swaffham need a Shokemakers' victory over CRC, coupled with a Planters win over Histon Reserves, to pull off a great escape in their first ever season at this level.

“It makes it a bit of a farce at this level of football,” admitted Pedlars' boss Lucian Hodkinson. “It's a bit disappointing because it does affect the top and bottom of the league.

“They've had a lot of call offs so they end up playing midweek games towards the end of the season. But that hasn't put us down if that's the way it turns out. We haven't been good enough. The commitment hasn't been there by some of the players. That applies to me as well because I've not been able to give the time to it during the week. This will be my last year as manager, but I'd like to stay involved.

“We could've been a mid-table side this season. There were some great performances like when we beat Harwich 5-2. Apart from one or two games at the start and when we lost to Harwich the other week we haven't been embarrassed.”

The championship itself will be decided by a winner-takes-all meeting of the top two at Soham, where the hosts lead Needham Market by two points. It is the first part of a league and cup double bid by Needham, who take on Gorleston in the League Cup final at Diss on Monday afternoon.

Dereham entertain Mildenhall with a best-ever fourth-placed finish at stake.

Kirkley and Pakefield need to beat Felixstowe and Walton at Walmer Road to eclipse last season's record 74-point total.

Wroxham boss Damian Hilton is already planning for next season as the Norfolk Senior Cup holders wrap up against Ipswich Wanderers at Trafford Park.

Hilton plans to blood more of the club's promising youngsters who helped Wroxham's second string lift the Anglian Combination title.

“These lads represent the future and those I have brought in for a trial run in recent games have shown encouraging ability,” he said. “Our main problem was losing players of the calibre of Justin Fox and Ben Thompson as well as suffering long-term injuries to players like our team captain Graham Challen.”