DURHAM City manager Lee Collings will tell his players to go for an early goal on a nailbiting last day of the regular season at Woodley Sports in the UniBond League First Division North.

City are a point ahead of Skelmersdale in the race for the title and the only automatic promotion place. While City play on the artificial surface at mid-table Woodley Sports in Stockport, Skelmersdale go to fifthplaced Curzon Ashton.

To win promotion in their first season in the UniBond League, City must match Skelmersdale’s result.

Collings said: “I’ll be telling the players to go out and get a quick goal. We have to try to put as much pressure on Skelmersdale as possible, because they have a tough away game.

“We would have settled for a play-off place at the start of the season, but after being in front for so long, it’ll be a disappointment to miss out on promotion.

“Blue Star gave us a boost with that win at Skelmersdale in midweek. We always knew that we would have to win this game, so there’s no difference. At least our promotion chances are in our own hands.’’ Striker Mattie Moffat, who missed the midweek win over Mossley, is expected to return.

If City fail to win the title today, they will have home advantage as the second-placed club in the play-off semi final against the fifth placed club on Tuesday. Newcastle Blue Star will have home advantage as the third-placed club in the play-offs if they draw or beat fourth-placed Colwyn Bay at Kingston Park.

In the premier division, Whitby need to beat Ilkeston at home, and hope that Boston United lose to Cammell Laird, to avoid relegation.

Even then, they might be reprieved if Cammell Laird are forcibly relegated for not having their ground up to standard.