A week is a long time in politics or so they say - the latest week for Harpenden Town has been some rollercoaster too.

They started it by snatching a 1-1 draw late on at home to Baldock Town before finishing it with a 1-0 success in the derby at Colney Heath.

In between there was the shock news that St Panteleimon, the side Harps were chasing to get inside the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division play-offs, had unexpectedly quit the league.

It suddenly moved Harpenden from chaser to pacesetter, four points ahead of Tring Athletic.

Cockfosters appear to be the only other side who could topple them, 11 points behind but with four games in hand, but the turnaround has had Nathan's own mind in a spin.

He said: "When we finished the game [against Baldock], we looked at the table and we had a feeling we could catch St Panteleimon because they were in a bit of a poor run of form. 

"But then to hear on Wednesday or Thursday that they'd folded with eight games to go, it's a strange place to be. 

"We had to wait to see who had dropped points [because of their record being expunged]. 

"Cockfosters have now got four games in hand on us and if they win all four then it puts everyone on a bit of a knife edge. 

"But we're fifth now and we've got to keep doing what we're doing. 

"We’ve got to keep picking up points, home and away, and then we'll see where we are at the end of the season.  

"The play-offs are a reality and we need to make sure we keep pushing. 

"It's six cup finals to go and we need to make sure that we are there or thereabouts." 

The Harpenden boss also knows that getting a head of steam in those final six games could be crucial.

He said: "It's always the team that comes into the play-offs with the best run of form. 

"They are one off games, a lottery and we know that on our day we have the ability to beat Bedford and MK and Levy Green and FC Romania. 

"So if we're at it and if we can be there, it’s massive for the club and the town as a whole." 

The game against Colney Heath was decided by a first-half header from Dan Palmer but could have been very different has a penalty, the last kick of the game, been converted by George Sippetts and not save by keeper Emmanuel Olajide.

"My heart rate has just about come back to normal after that last 10 minutes," said the boss. 

"We did it last week, we left it late last week [a 1-1 draw against Baldock Town]. 

"The last 10 minutes of that game was complete chaos, just mad, and then here, we could have probably been two or three up,  maybe.  

"That might have been a bit flattering because I thought they stayed in the game pretty well. They were quite resolute in what they did and how they did it. 

"We did have chances and I don't think they created too much in all honesty,  

"They did stay in the game like I said, credit to them, Matt’s got a great group here. They work hard and run through brick walls for him. 

"We had them watched against Real Bedford they were exceptionally unlucky to come away with nothing. 

"We knew it was going to be hard but we came here with a game plan and to score from a set-piece and keep a clean sheet is a good day."