Berkshire weekend preview by Step – now or never for Hungerford Town – Football in Berkshire
The “Business End” of the season is well and truly upon us, and with games coming thick and fast, and so much still to be decided up and down the pyramid, it can be hard to choose which game to go to this weekend.
Well Football in Berkshire is here to help.
We have a game of the weekend involving a Berkshire side for each of Steps 2-6 in the Men’s Non-League Pyramid. Each match has something riding on it, so get ready to bite on those fingernails as you support one of our sides in a crunch fixture.
Step 2: National League South
Chelmsford City vs Maidenhead United
The first game in our preview is happening in Essex rather in Berkshire, but there is no denying that it is a massive game in the National League South (NLS) promotion race. The playoff picture in the NLS is incredibly tight. With three games left to play Maidenhead currently sit in sixth place in the table, one point and two spots inside the playoffs. Depending on how results go on Saturday, they could finish the day as high as third or as low as 10th. Chelmsford are one of the sides in the chasing pack. They are currently 11th in the table, four points off the playoffs, but they do have a game in hand. This is a huge match for both side’s promotion hopes, especially as both sides have playoff contenders still to play. Any slip ups from the Magpies and they will need the sides around them to drop points in their remaining games in order to secure a playoff spot.
Related: Maidenhead United’s Harry Pritchard confirms retirement after league career including Blackpool and Bradford City
Step 3: Southern League Premier Division South
Hungerford Town vs Basingstoke Town
From a promotion battle to a relegation six pointer. Putting it bluntly, it is now or never for Hungerford Town in their quest to stay at Step 3. The Crusaders are 6 points from safety with 3 games remaining. On Saturday they host Basingstoke Town at Bulpit Lane, a side who are not completely safe from relegation themselves, but they have a four-point cushion over the relegation places. Defeat for Hungerford would leave them all but relegated even if other results go their way; with their poor goal difference they would be highly unlikely to overturn the six-point deficit in their remaining two games. Put simply, they must win and hope other sides drop points to keep their survival hopes alive.
Related: The 25/26 home straight: Crunch time for Hungerford Town and Eversley & California
Step 4: Isthmian League South Central Division
Ascot United vs Horndean
Ascot United have been struggling at the wrong end of the table in 2026, but they have hit form at a crucial time. The Yellamen have taken eight points from their last four games to lift themselves out of the relegation spots with three games remaining. They are still only one place and two points above the drop zone so they will be hoping for a continuation of their recent form when they welcome Horndean to the Racecourse Ground. Their opponents were relegated in midweek after an emphatic 7-1 defeat at Hartley Wintney. Ascot will be hoping to pile on to their misery on Saturday.
Step 5: Combined Counties Premier Division South
Eversley & California vs Redhill
In the final weekend of regular league action in the Combined Counties Premier South, Eversley fans will be biting their fingernails and refreshing their phones as their Step 5 future hangs in the balance. The Boars sit one point above the drop zone and either they or Camberley Town will be relegated at the end of the day. Due to Eversley’s worse goal difference, they will have to equal or better Camberley’s result in order to stay up. They welcome Redhill to the ESA Ground, a side who they faced in the reverse league fixture last weekend. On that occasion an injury time goal from Henry Paxford rescued a point for Eversley, but they may need more than a draw to survive on Saturday.
Step 6: Wessex League Division One
Yateley United vs Folland Sports
We finish our preview with a game in the Wessex Division One promotion battle. Yateley are currently in 5th place in the table, which is the final promotion place, and they welcome 2nd placed Folland Sports to Sean Devereux Park. Despite being 3 places apart the two sides are separated by just one point meaning home advantage in the playoffs is up for grabs, but with 6th placed Cove only one point behind Yateley, the loser could end up out or the playoff places altogether. The two sides have scored 199 goals between them in the league this season. Yateley have scored 107 goals in 38 games making them Berkshire’s second highest scorers behind Berks County (120 goals in 44 games).
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