National League round-up: Barnet, Boreham Wood, Halifax Town, Notts County and Harrogate Town return to training with provisional play-off dates set

Football took a step closer to returning for six National League teams this week as they resumed training ahead of next month’s decisive play-off schedule.
Scott Loach and Nicke Kabamba during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Barnet at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 26th October 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News )Scott Loach and Nicke Kabamba during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Barnet at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 26th October 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News )
Scott Loach and Nicke Kabamba during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Barnet at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 26th October 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News )

All players and key staff at Harrogate Town, Notts County, Yeovil Town, Boreham Wood, Halifax Town and Barnet will have to undergo regular coronavirus tests and stadiums will have to be sanitised in order to ensure the five scheduled play-off matches can go ahead safely as planned.

Last week, clubs voted to conclude the 2019-20 National League season on a points-per-game basis with the play-off matches taking place behind closed doors.

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And with teams returning to training this week, several safety measures have been put in place with players initially training in small groups to help maintain social distancing regulations.

General view of Meadow Lane, home to Notts County during the Vanarama National League match between Notts County and Hartlepool United at Meadow Lane, Nottingham on Saturday 2nd November 2019. (Credit: Jon Hobley | MI News)General view of Meadow Lane, home to Notts County during the Vanarama National League match between Notts County and Hartlepool United at Meadow Lane, Nottingham on Saturday 2nd November 2019. (Credit: Jon Hobley | MI News)
General view of Meadow Lane, home to Notts County during the Vanarama National League match between Notts County and Hartlepool United at Meadow Lane, Nottingham on Saturday 2nd November 2019. (Credit: Jon Hobley | MI News)

Full-contact training will then be introduced with the play-off eliminator matches set to take place on the weekend of July 18.

Boreham Wood will welcome Halifax Town to Meadow Park and Yeovil Town will host Barnet with places in the semi-final at Harrogate Town and Notts County respectively up for grabs.

Despite initially being hit hard by the shutdown of the football season with mass redundancies and ‘emergency measures to preserve the club’ promptly announced back in March, Barnet has arguably benefitted more than any side from the manner in which the season has been concluded.

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The Bees sat 11th in the table when all 11 of its remaining fixtures were cancelled. But the points-per-game format has helped Darren Currie’s jump into the final play-off position at Stockport County’s expense.

And former Hartlepool United favourite Scott Loach feels the club has deserved its play-off opportunity.

The Barnet goalkeeper, who made the switch from Victoria Park to The Hive last summer, told the club website: "I don't want to say it's been a long 12 weeks, it has been an enjoyable 12 weeks with the family, but there is only so much running I can do!”

"I think as a group when we beat Woking away, I think the fans and the staff, everyone got that feeling that we were in a good chance, particularly with four games in hand. We're in the play-offs and now we have to take that opportunity, to give us a chance to get promoted."

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This season marks the first National League campaign in which the two sides relegated from League Two the previous season have taken part in the play-offs with Notts County and Yeovil both seeking an immediate return to the EFL.

Play-off semi-finals will take place on the weekend of July 25 as runners-up Harrogate Town host the winners of Boreham Wood v Halifax and Notts County play the winners of Yeovil Town v Barnet.

The date for the 2019-20 National League play-off final has provisionally been set for Friday, July 31. A neutral venue for the final is yet to be confirmed, though it would usually take place at Wembley Stadium in normal circumstances.