It's getting to that stage of the season where players' and even managers' futures are on the line as clubs battle to gain promotion, avoid relegation and everything in between.

But even the love of football will be put into perspective this weekend as all FA Cup, Premier League, Football League and Football Conference matches start seven minutes late in tribute to the victims of the Hillsborough stadium disaster.

The pinnacle of non-league football, the Conference Premier, will turn its attention to Kenilworth Road where Luton Town can clinch the league title and gain promotion back into the Football League after a four -year absence. Looking to gatecrash the party will be Braintree Town, who themselves will be aiming for three crucial points to claim a play-off spot come the end of the season.

John Still's side are top of the tree on 92 points and 16 clear of second-placed Cambridge United, albeit playing two games more. Braintree are two points outside the top five but two defeats on the spin and just one win in their last five doesn't make pretty reading for the Iron fans on their trip to Bedfordshire.

Three wins on the trot for the Hatters will give their loyal fans plenty of reason to be cheerful prior to kick-off, which could break their home attendance record this season that currently stands at 8,558.

Elsewhere, the battle to stay in the Conference Premier is heating up with games running out for clubs scrapping to avoid relegation. Tamworth, second from bottom and 12 points from safety with four games to go are all but relegated, leaving Dartford, Aldershot Town, Hereford United, Chester and Southport looking to avoid being the other two clubs to go down.

Dartford and Aldershot, who currently occupy the remaining relegation spots, play Forest Green Rovers and Macclesfield Town respectively - two sides who are comfortably in mid-table and have little to play for. Hereford and Chester face promotion contenders Gateshead and Grimsby, who are both in play-off positions. While Southport can officially send Tamworth down when they face each other and at the same time keep themselves away from the bottom four.

Beneath the Conference Premier is the Conference South and Conference North, which run parallel. The match of the weekend comes at Gander Green Lane where second- placed Sutton United face Ebbsfleet United in fourth. And I'll also be presenting Sutton manager Paul Doswell with the Manager of the Month award for March on behalf of Conference, a feat he's now achieved three months running since the turn of the year.

Both sides look set to play their part in this season's play-offs so perhaps this could be a dress rehearsal for one of the semi-finals, if not the final itself. Both sides failed to win their last games, Sutton going down 3-2 at strugglers Maidenhead United while Ebbsfleet conceded a stoppage time own goal to draw 1-1 at Staines Town.

That said it was Sutton's first defeat since the end of December, reiterating their great run of form since the turn of the year. Steve Brown's Ebbsfleet meanwhile are unbeaten in three and have lost only two of their last 13 matches.

Conference South title favourites Eastleigh boosted their chances of automatic promotion after they won 2-1 at third-placed Bromley in midweek and they face a tricky trip to Essex to face Chelmsford City, who are just three points above the relegation zone.

Three out of the four play-off places look certain with Havant & Waterlooville occupying the final spot but have a fight on their hands to keep it with Bath City, Dover Athletic, Staines Town and Concord Rangers just two points away and waiting in the wings should they slip up.

At the opposite end of the league, bottom-of-the-table Dorchester Town look doomed for relegation on 27 points, 11 adrift of safety, and face Farnborough who are ending the season strongly to retain their league status for another season. Tonbridge Angels take on Maidenhead in a crucial game but before they meet both sides have Thursday evening matches which could have an effect on Saturday's fixture.

Tonbridge host Dover in a Kent derby and Maidenhead welcome Concord to York Road. Whitehawk, inside the relegation zone on goal difference to Maidenhead, travel to Boreham Wood whose recent run has assured them a mid-table finish and could be there for the taking.

Up in the north, AFC Telford United sit just a point clear at the top of the Conference North of Ferriby United and travel to Colwyn Bay, who are destined for a top 10 finish under manager Frank Sinclair.

Aiming for three points should they slip up will be North Ferriby who travel to third-placed Altrincham in what could be a play-off dress rehearsal come the end of the season.

Hednesford Town and Guiseley look set to join them in the play-offs but down the bottom only two teams will be relegated this season after Vauxhall Motors, eight points clear of the drop zone in 17th, have chosen to resign from the Football Conference.

Workington, currently bottom and nine points from safety, seem favourites for relegation with Stalybridge Celtic, Histon and possibly Oxford City the other club to join them. Histon travel to Bradford Park Avenue, comfortably in mid-table, and Stalybridge face a tough trip to Boston United, sitting outside the play-offs by three points and will not be ruling out a finish in the top five.

Staying in the north but a league below, the biggest game of the weekend comes down the bottom of the Northern Premier League in the fight to avoid relegation.

With three out of four clubs relegated it's between Frickley Athletic, five points from safety, and Marine to avoid the drop and the two sides meet in what proves to be a feisty encounter.

At the top Chorley and FC United of Manchester are battling for the title and automatic promotion into the Conference North next season. Chorley are top on 87 points and play already relegated Stocksbridge Park Steels at home while FC United, three points behind with a game in hand, face mid-table Buxton.