NORTHWICH Victoria will play fellow promotion hopefuls Hednesford Town at Leek’s Harrison Park next Friday.

The Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division encounter has been brought forward 24 hours because Vics’ first pick for home encounters, Nantwich Town’s Weaver Stadium, is unavailable.

It will become the third venue at which Northwich have hosted an opponent for a league game since the club was evicted from the Victoria Stadium in January.

A switch to Leek now makes certain that Vics will not be able to pick which pitch they play on if they finish in a play-offs position rewarded with home advantage.

League bosses said last month that unless guests are hosted at the same ground for the remainder of the campaign, then the homeless team would have to hit the road to earn promotion back to the Football Conference.

“The rules were made clear then,” a spokesman for the Northern Premier League told the Guardian.

“Should a club that has qualified to play at home in either the semi finals or final not be able to host the game at their normal ground, then the tie will be switched to that of their opponents.”

Vics are placed second in the standings with five matches left, a finishing position that would normally make them hosts for a play-offs semi final.

Fans have not watched their team in town since a 2-1 defeat at home to Marine on January 28 after the Victoria Stadium’s new owners Thor Specialities (UK) Ltd, said football could no longer be played there.