STEP 5 ROUND-UPS

MIDLAND LEAGUE

COLESHILL TOWN maintained top spot thanks to a tight 1-0 win at fellow high-fliers Shepshed Dynamo.

The victory came courtesy of Jordan Nadat’s 73rd-minute goal and it means the Colemen can stretch their lead at the top to six points if they beat Highgate United tomorrow.

In the only other game, Bromsgrove Sporting won 2-0 at home to Lye Town.

Wade Malley opened the scoring after just seven minutes following excellent work out wide by Reece Hewitt. And the points were secured in first-half injury time when a long-range Sam Wills freekick was turned into the net by skipper Craig Jones. DAVID LAWRENCE

NORTHERN LEAGUE

THERE WERE only two games in the top flight and they both had implications at the top.

Leaders Morpeth Town had to settle for a point – a Lewis Mahoney free-kick in stoppage time robbing the Highwaymen of all three.

After a goalless first half, Luke Bythway headed Guisborough Town in front from a corner six minutes after the restart. Liam Henderson soon levelled after previously hitting the bar and Wayne Phillips put Morpeth ahead before Mahoney’s late intervention.

Shildon moved up to second after a 1-0 win at Sunderland RCA, making it six wins out of six away from home for the Railwaymen.

Shildon’s previous eight games had produced 41 goals but one, from Cameron Fenton, was enough on Wearside.

Sunderland RCA had been reduced to ten men five minutes earlier when Adam McGuinness saw a second yellow.

JEFF BOWRON

NORTH WEST COUNTIES

HIGH-FLYING Runcorn Linnets had to settle for a share of the spoils as Abbey Hey held them to a 2-2 draw.

Stuart Wellstead opened the scoring on 13 minutes, only for the lowly visitors to hit back through Adam Farrand and Peter Watling, to go in at the break with their noses in front.

A second Wellstead strike, this time from the spot, secured a point for the hosts but they are now seven points behind leaders Runcorn Town.

In the day’s other game, Bootle came from behind to win 2-1 at Barnoldswick Town, after Lewis Mayers had given the home side an interval lead.

Connor Millington levelled midway through the second half and Lennon Whewell’s winner on 75 minutes.

STEVEN CONEY

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST

HANDSWORTH PARRAMORE edged a 2-1 victory at Penistone Church in one of just two Premier League games to take place.

Jon Froggatt opened the scoring from the spot midway through the first half, with Aaron Moxam doubling the lead within three minutes of the interval. Dan Barlow pulled a goal back for the hosts but they could not find an equaliser.

Albion Sports also enjoyed an away day victory, running out 3-0 winners at Rainworth Miners Welfare.

Sports were in control but it took until late in the first half before Steve Smith finally found a way through the Miners’ defence. Alex Cusack added a second on 65 minutes, with Josh Barden sealing the win a minute from time.

DAVID LAWRENCE

UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE

STUART SMEATHERS’ header at the start of the second half maintained leaders Newport Pagnell Town’s perfect record, with a 1-0 win at Harborough Town.

Two goals from Scott Mooney and one from Scott Coupland gave Deeping Rangers a 3-0 win at Oadby Town.

Efforts from Matt Sparrow and Tom Waumsley saw Yaxley return from Wellingborough Town with a 2-0 win.

Sleaford Town lie bottom with only a point from ten games after a 4-2 home loss to Rothwell Corinthians.

Callum Plowright, Robson Keighley, Kalon Peniasko and Lewis O’Dell were on target for the visitors.

ROBIN JONES

ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE

THE LEAGUE saw goals galore yesterday as 16 efforts flew in from just three games to take place.

Exactly half came in the second half at Stansted, where the Airportmen turned a goalless first half into an 8-0 rout over Wadham Lodge.

Four goals in ten minutes sealed the win as Jack Isherwood, Nicholas Brown, Dave Limber and Mick Carpenter were all on target. In the last 20 minutes, Ryan Ramsey, Chris Gormley, Limber and Brown doubled the tally.

FC Romania led twice at Clapton but went down to a 3-2 defeat. Florin Pop saw his opener cancelled out by Jay Morris. An own goal gave the Wolves a half-time lead but Jeff Cobblah levelled and Steve Sardinha won it late on.

On Friday, Hackney Wick picked up their third win of the season, at the expense of Woodford Town (2017), courtesy of goals from Jeffrey Idemudia and Ibrahim Camara.

DAVID BALLHEIMER

EASTERN COUNTIES

JORDAN MATTHEWS netted twice for Felixstowe & Walton United as they extended their lead at the top to nine points with a 2-0 home win over struggling Wivenhoe Town.

Newmarket Town move up to third despite being held to a 2-2 draw at home by FC Clacton and Sam Reed’s 88th-minute equaliser rescued a point for Ely City as they drew 3-3 at home to Gorleston.

Dan Swain and Hassan Ally were Long Melford’s scorers as they climbed out of the bottom three with a 2-1 home victory over Ipswich Wanderers.

Elsewhere, Jack Smith grabbed a brace as Brantham Athletic beat Haverhill Rovers 4-1 at home and bottom side Fakenham Town lost 2-0 at home to Haverhill Borough.

RORY HAYWARD

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS

BERKHAMSTED closed the gap on Biggleswade FC to just two points as they beat Holmer Green 3-1.

But the Comrades had to come from behind after Dean Powles’ penalty. Jon Munday, Sean Coughlin and Ashton Campbell were all on target.

Tring Athletic picked up a first league win of the season as they defeated St Margaretsbury 3-1 thanks to a Chris Blunden hat-trick, while Leverstock Green lost 4-1 at home to Hoddesdon Town, with Kyle Johnson grabbing two goals on his debut.

Cockfosters won 3-1 at home to Stotfold, Ed Davis scoring all three, and London Colney beat Wembley 1-0 to halt a run of five losses.

CHRIS MITCHELL

COMBINED COUNTIES

BEDFONT SPORTS beat Guildford City 3-2, in an action-packed game which saw two City players sent off.

Previously unbeaten Eagles fell to third after the loss and City took sixth.

Robbie Mundow’s superb finish and Dan Stewart’s effort put the hosts 2-0 up after just 11 minutes, but the visitors reduced the arrears after 75 minutes through Jacob Lambe and equalised a minute later thanks to sub Lewis Sinclair. Kieran Campbell’s 79th-minute spot kick proved to be City’s winner.

There was late drama as the visitors’ Tim Pitt and Jamie Richards were both sent off for second yellow cards.