RADCLIFFE NARROW THE GAP
RADCLIFFE hosted Prescot Cables and narrowed the gap between them and the top of the table with a 3-2 win.
A minute into extra time in the first half the home side got their goal when Michael Fowler found the net to put Radcliffe 1-0 up.
However, their lead didn’t last long. On 52 minutes Radcliffe keeper Ollie Martin brought down Prescot’s Michael Monaghan in the box and was then sent the wrong way by Chris Almond’s penalty.
Seven minutes later Almond netted his second of the game to put the Cables ahead with half an hour to play.
With 12 minutes to play in regulation, Boro got their equaliser through Fowler again and got as boost as Prescot fell to ten men when Louis Coyne saw red after clashing with Ben Wharton.
Then, in the 86th minute, Fowler completed his hattrick to clinch Radcliffe a huge comeback win and propel them above the Cables and into the playoff spots.
At the other end of the table, 20th placed Glossop North End beat Market Drayton Town 2-0 to climb out of the relegation zone.
North End nearly went ahead after about 35 minutes when Jack Touhy was denied by a superb Ashley Rawlins double save.
Just three minutes later, however, Glossop debutant Dominic Marie gave his club the 1-0 lead which they held into halftime.
Another debutant, Adam Latham, netted the Hillmen’s second in the 50th minute, giving them a comfortable lead early in the second half.
Glossop held onto that lead and now sit 17th.
Meanwhile, struggling Skelmersdale United faced a visit from Ramsbottom United hoping to start a run of form, but it wasn’t to be, losing 3-0.
The Rams took the lead on 23 minutes after Ruben Jerome converted from close range from a Tony Donaldson through ball. At half time down just 1-0, the game was
well within Skelmersdale’s grasp.
However, in the 66th minute the Rams doubled their lead when Jerome beat his defender before finishing for his second goal of the game.
The game only got worse for Skelmersdale as Nic Evangelinos scored Ramsbottom’s third and final goal.
The loss leaves Skelmersdale bottom of the league, and to add insult to injury, captain Phil Mooney was sent off and will miss their next game.
Clitheroe jumped up several spots in the league table thanks to their 2-1 win away to Widnes.
The Blues looked the better team early, as Max Hazeldine was superbly stopped by a last-ditch tackle.
Eventually, in the 43rd minute, The Blues had the lead after Hazeldine’s shot was excellently saved by Owen Wheeler only for the rebound to be finished by Jacob Gregory.
Just two minutes later Clitheroe added to their lead as Hazeldine finally found the net, slotting home a loss ball to send Clitheroe into the break 2-0 up.
Just after the break, however, Widnes got a goal back when Jay Roberts released Kev Towey who finished calmly.
That would be it, though, as Clitheroe held on for the win.
Lowly Kendal Town held a strong Kidsgrove
Athletic side to a 0-0 draw to separate the club from a three-way tie for bottom of the league.
It was an uneventful game but one that Kidsgrove felt they should have won.
Two quick chances in the 17th and 19th minute saw Grove hit the bar and shoot wide from just seven yards out.
The final chance for Grove came in the 86th minute, when Rhys Thompson shot from 30 yards out but saw his effort agonisingly rebound off the uprights in the stalemate.
DIV ONE WEST ROUND-UP