UniBond League

Once again there was little football played in the Premier Division but all the games that did survive were pivotal with BRADFORD PARK AVENUE’s home win against MARINE taking them to top spot on goal difference from RETFORD UNITED along with two games in hand.

Last week’s second place side BOSTON UNITED slipped to third when they made the long trip to KENDAL TOWN only to succumb to the Lake District side’s unbeaten home record with Dave Foster scoring the only goal of the game.

GUISELEY’s midweek win over BUXTON saw them move in to the play-off spots whilst the other two top tier matches had a big bearing on the opposite end of the table.

The midweek clash between FC UNITED of MANCHESTER and FRICKLEY ATHLETIC was vital to both sides to put some distance between themselves and the two relegation slots but whilst the goalless scoreline appeared at first glance to be of little use to either side it did move them both up above MATLOCK TOWN. Then on Saturday United edged out bottom club DURHAM CITY 2-1 to suddenly find themselves in 15th place.

After winning thirteen league games on the bounce LANCASTER CITY visited WOODLEY SPORTS where they have a poor record which didn’t improve with a 4-1 defeat and their lead at the top of the table was reduced to three points when COLWYN BAY took full advantage of HARROGATE RAILWAY’s poor away form (they still have to win on the road) to register a 2-0 win.

SKELMERSDALE UNITED consolidated their play-off hopes with a home win in midweek over BAMBER BRIDGE for whom 2010 has been a disaster with four straight defeats whilst sixth place side LEIGH GENESIS were conceding ground with a goalless draw at WARRINGTON TOWN who won at the weekend against AFC FYLDE to go seventh.

After the midweek games six First Division South clubs went in to Saturday’s fixtures separated by just one point and although only game fell foul of the weather in this Division the afternoon finished with five clubs still only one point apart. The one side to drop three points was probably considered one of the day’s bankers but after beating leaders CHASETOWN in midweek BELPER TOWN went down to next bottom SPALDING UNITED.

All the other five sides won with the leaders bouncing back to edge past CAMMELL LAIRD whilst MICKLEOVER SPORTS, GLAPWELL and RUSHALL OLYMPIC also only had one goal margins to play with. There was a more comfortable 3-0 success for SHEFFIELD FC at bottom club WILLENHALL TOWN who are now six games since they last found the net. WITTON ALBION joined the party with six points on the road in the week to go level with Belper but KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC, leaders at the turn of the year, are now down to eighth as they still look, not only for a first point in 2010, but also a first goal.