TYTHERINGTON ROCKS’ hopes of playing in the Hellenic Premier Division next season are ‘slim’ according the league’s general manager Brian King.

Gary Powell’s side have marched to the Division One West title this season and are 15 points ahead of Old Woodstock Town with three games remaining.

However, FA rules state that in order to gain promotion they were required to have grade G facilities, which includes floodlights and hard standing, by last Saturday. Tytherington have applied for special dispensation from the FA to get the work done over the summer, but it may be too late.

King said: “We are waiting for an answer from the FA to see if there will be any dispensation, but I would say it is slim to non-existent.”

Despite being 16 points adrift of Tytherington in third, Winterbourne could clinch promotion this Bank Holiday weekend.

After being unable to develop their former ground at Parkside Avenue, Winterbourne moved to Oaklands Park last summer, and the GFA headquarters hosted Southern League football last season when Almondsbury Town played there.

Old Woodstock do not have the facilities to go up and a third place finish will be enough for Winterbourne, which they can secure if they beat Brimscombe and Thrupp at home on Saturday, and then win at Wootton Bassett Town, who are six points behind them in fourth, on Easter Monday.

They are Winterbourne’s final two games of the season, but the league campaign does not finish until April 21 so they could face an anxious wait if they are unable to finish the job themselves.

They beat Cirencester Town Development 3-1 last Saturday thanks to goals from James Mainstone, Ashley Knight and Jack Pitcher.

Tytherington welcome New College Swindon to the Hardwicke Playing Fields this Saturday and visit Trowbridge Town two days later.