RAMSBOTTOM United manager Mark Fell says his side need to win all seven of their remaining games to stand any chance of clinching a play-off berth.

The Rams were one of four clubs to be hit with sanctions by Evo-Stik League chiefs this week for fielding an ineligible player – Bamber Bridge and Colne being deducted one point and Prescot Cables three.

The four point deduction leaves them 11 points off fifth heading into tonight’s home clash with Scarborough Athletic (7.45pm) and Fell admits it’s now a long shot for his team to be in the end-of-season mix.

“It makes it almost impossible to make the play-offs,” he told the Lancashire Telegraph. “We would have to win all seven of the games we have left.

“We do play some teams around us – Scarborough Athletic tonight and Trafford on Saturday.

“Our last three games are against teams at the bottom, so if we win all of them we have a chance, but it will be difficult.”

Ramsbottom are without a win in three after Saturday 2-2 draw at Trafford, and will be looking to turn that around against the Seadogs.

But Fell says the heavy downpours in East Lancashire over the past four days is a concern, and he is also without 11 first team players through injury.

“I’m fairly confident going into the game against Scarborough, but I’m not as confident of it going ahead with the amount of rain we’ve had,” he added.

“If we do play the likelihood of being on on Saturday will be reduced because I’m not sure the surface can take two games in five days.

“On paper Scarborough are above us, but we were fantastic there earlier in the season and we played very well on Saturday.”

He added: “We have 11 players injured still, so we have been decimated.

“It’s frustrating for the fans, but I have to put a team out there by hook or by crook and hopefully I won’t have to go scrounging for players to field a side against Scarborough.

“They are big players we’re missing as well - Paul Linwood and the two strikers Ryan Salmon and Gareth Seddon.

“The registration deadline is Thursday, so I will have to make sure we have enough players for the rest of the season.”

Elsewhere tonight ninth-placed Clitheroe are on the road at leaders Farsley Celtic looking to cut the seven point gap to the play-off places.

In National League North Chorley have a chance to take points off their play-off rivals when they travel to Salford City (7.45pm).