STEP 5 & 6 ACTION

COMBINED COUNTIES

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PREMIER SOUTH leaders Beckenham Town edged closer to the championship with a 3-0 home victory over Guildford City, Tunde Aderonmu’s hat-trick doing the damage with his final goal scored from the penalty spot.

A point behind, having played one game more and having just one remaining are Walton & Hersham, who beat 10-man hosts Cobham 2-0 thanks to goals from Ollie Twum and Harry Mills.

Hosts Balham hammered Molesey, who are now 12 points adrift at the bottom of the table, 6-2 with Tom read hitting a hat-trick and Luke Hedges, James Adebayo and Samuel Pagano a goal each.

Aidan Brown bagged a brace and Jordan Stepney and Brad Sweeney netted one each for Raynes Park Vale in their 4-0 win at Frimley Green.

Robert Martins-Figueira opened hosts Jersey Bulls’ account in the first minute of their home game against

Redhill before Lorne Bickley added their second for a 2-1 win.

Badshot Lea came from behind to win 2-1 at Banstead Athletic thanks to goals from Mal Thomas and substitute Adam New while Josh Ogunseye scored the only goal of the game as hosts Farnham Town beat Knaphill.

Fleet Town beat Horley Town 2-0 thanks to goals from Ryan Esprit and Dan Bone.

In Premier North, second-placed Southall sent Spelthorne Sports home on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline with Lewis Putnam and Anthony O’Connor finding the net.

An own goal set Abbey Rangers on course for a 3-2 victory over visitors

St Panteleimon before Tommy O’Neill and Daryl Cooper-Smith netted.

Perry Price opened the scoring for North Greenford United against visitors Edgware Town before Harvey Killeen struck to seal their 2-0 win.

Windsor forced a goalless draw at Ascot United while Egham Town drew 1-1 at home to Tadley Calleva.

In Division One, Rayners Lane won 6-0 at Woodley United, earning themselves a place in the Step 6 play-offs. On target were Courtney Austin who hit a double and there were goals each for Tom Rhone, Jabir Laraba, Richard Ennin and Abdul Sarr.

Second-placed Hilltop lost 2-1 to

Eversley & California, Ben Anderson and Ellis Wint winning it while goals from Harvey Lal, Jacob Lamb and Hugo Silveria gave hosts Bagshot a 3-0 win over AFC Aldermaston.

ROBIN JONES

UNITED COUNTIES

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THE PREMIER NORTH championship looks all set to go down to the wire with long-time leaders Long Eaton only topping the table on superior goal difference after returning from Heather St Johns with a 5-1 victory.

Reco Fyfe and Kam Campbell netted for the visitors before second-half substitute James Shaw helped himself to a hat-trick.

Level on points having played the same number of games are Gresley Rovers who won 4-2 at Skegness Town thanks to Steve Hart’s hat-trick and a Shay Brennan goal.

FA Vase finalists Newport Pagnell Town won 4-0 at Desborough Town thanks to doubles from Danny Webb and Jim Burnside.

Second-from-bottom Pinchbeck United did their survival hopes much good with a 3-0 win at fellow strugglers

Newark, Spencer Weir Daily hitting a double and Neal Spafford one goal.

A second-half Will Bird strike gave hosts Deeping Rangers a 1-0 win over

Loughborough Students.

Max Thornberry, Kieran Debrouwer and Jake Carlisle were on target for

Heanor Town in their 3-1 win over visitors Leicester Nirvana.

Quorn saw off visitors Sleaford Town with Tawanda Mangondoza, Jack Samples and Kyle Bryant netting.

Eastwood CFC fought out a 1-1 draw at Anstey Nomads while relegated basement side Holbeach United gained only their fourth point of the season when they drew 1-1 at home to

Boston United.

Already-promoted Premier South leaders Harborough Town left it to the 86th minute to win 2-1 at Coventry Sphinx, Louis Guest cancelling out Joel Carta’s opener for the visitors before Nat Ansu grabbed the winner.

In second place and three points behind are Hinckley LRFC, who won 2-0 at Wellingborough Town thanks to goals from Simon Alcott and Dom Brennan.

Godmanchester Rovers lost 3-1 to Lutterworth Town who came from behind to win 3-1, Abdul Rahman Sunmonu levelling before Justin Peace bagged a brace. And GNG Oadby Town couldn’t build on Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Newport Pagnell in a 3-1 loss to Potton United, Northampton ON Chenecks drew 0-0 at third-placed

Rugby Town, Biggleswade United forced a 2-2 draw at Coventry United and Rothwell Corinthians drew 2-2 at home to Easington Sports.

ROBIN JONES

NORTH WEST COUNTIES

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GOLCAR stalwart Ben Burnett further etched himself into the club’s folklore with an extra-time winner to secure promotion to the North West Counties Premier Division for the first time.

The substitute drilled in Malakai Phillips’s cross with just two minutes to play to secure victory in the First Division North play-off final with Holker Old Boys.

And for the 30-year-old midfielder it was another significant milestone to add to his collection having already scored Golcar’s first ever goal as a semi-professional club and also the club’s first goal in the FA Vase.

Jason Walker had fired Holker in front on 53 minutes but Golcar scrambled a 68th minute equaliser following an own goal after an Alex Hallam cross.

After Burnett’s extra time strike, Holker substitute Gareth Smith stung the hands of Harry Stead with a powerful strike but the Golcar keeper stood firm to ensure his side’s historic promotion.

In the First Division South play-off final, a good luck message to FC Isle of Man from Liverpool legend John Aldridge did the trick as the Ravens came from 2-1 down to defeat New Mills 4-2 in front of a sell-out crowd of 3,230. New Mills had received a good luck message from boxing legend Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton but they failed to deliver a knockout blow. Goals from Chris Bass Junior (two), Sean Quaye and Luke Murray secured victory with Kyle Oakes and Benito Lowe on target for New Mills.

NAT SYLVESTER

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST

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NORTH FERRIBY will meet Harrogate Railway Athletic in the Division One play-off final next weekend.

Second-placed North Ferriby, cheered on by the majority of the 901 fans at the Dransfield Stadium, secured their place with two goals in three first half minutes to see-off Rossington Main.

They opened the scoring on 35 minutes when visiting defender Gary Munday turned a Josh Whiteley cross into his own net. Whiteley then added the second soon after with a cool finish.

Joe Crosby was Harrogate’s hero, scoring twice as the Rail won 2-1 at Brigg Town.

He opened the scoring on 17 minutes, latching on to the through ball before calmly slipping the ball past the keeper. He then doubled his tally ten minutes before the interval after pouncing on a poor clearance.

Nathan Peat reduced the arrears on the hour but they could not find a way through a solid defence as the Rail held on for victory and a shot at promotion against North Ferriby.

Elsewhere, the quarter-finals of the League Cup produced a goal-fest at Bottesford Town were Garforth Town emerged as 4-3 winners.

It had looked plain sailing for the visitors as goals from Hass Gorji, Alex Zachariou and a Charlie Marshall double gave them a 4-0 lead. Bottesford rallied in the final ten minutes with three goals flying in from Liam Watkins, Luke Ayris and Jack Cross but couldn’t find a final fourth to level it up.

DAVE LAWRENCE

NORTHERN LEAGUE

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NORTH SHIELDS were crowned champions after they won 3-1 at

Whitley Bay in front of a bumper 1,422 crowd at Hillheads.

All the goals came in the second half, Dan Wilson scoring a brace for the Robins followed by a Gary Ormston penalty and Malky Morien with a late consolation for Bay.

Runners-up Consett played out a 4-4 thriller at home to Ashington, who had two-goal leads in each half. Dean Briggs and Lewis Suddick scored twice for the Colliers with Scott Heslop, Dale Pearson, David Dowson and Jake Orrell netting for Consett.

Jacob Foster and Matty Hayton were on target in West Allotment Celtic’s 2-1 win over Newcastle Benfield for whom Dennis Knight equalised.

Whickham drew 0-0 at Newton Aycliffe while first half goals from Simon Jakab and Mark Davison gave

Sunderland RCA a 2-0 home win over

West Auckland.

After a goalless first half, Bishop Auckland won 2-0 at Crook Town, Bradley Mills’ 75th-minute deflected free-kick and substitute Sonni Coleman’s second seeing Bishops home.

Louis Anderson’s brace and further goals from Joe Hailes and Adam Lennox earned Seaham Red Star a 4-1 win at Penrith, who had Grant Davison sent off late in the game.

Elsewhere, Guisborough Town and visitors Ryhope CW both scored penalties in a 1-1 draw and Northallerton Town won 2-0 at home to bottom club

Billingham Town, Tom Marron and Nathan Stephenson scoring.

JEFF BOWRON

EASTERN COUNTIES

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GORLESTON saw their advantage at the top cut to just one point with two games left to play after suffering a 3-0 defeat away to Newmarket Town on Saturday.

Lewis Whitehead netted twice for the home side and Sam Gomarsall added the other as the leaders lost just their sixth league game of the season.

Second-placed Wroxham salvaged a dramatic point thanks to a late Shaun Taylor equaliser at home to Ely City to keep their title hopes alive.

Elsewhere, Long Melford remain two points adrift of safety after being beaten 3-0 at home by fifth-placed

Norwich United. Liam Jackson struck twice for the visitors with Harry Pitcher also on target.

Brantham Athletic are still just two points above the drop zone after a damaging 3-1 defeat away to Kirkley & Pakefield with Lewis Hammond, Kyle Haylock and Cameron Russell all on target for home side.

Ashley Jarvis scored both of Fakenham Town’s goals in an impressive 2-0 away success over third-placed

Mildenhall Town and fourth-placed

Mulbarton Wanderers lost 3-0 away to March Town United.

Lakenheath ran out 3-1 winners away to Hadleigh United and Daniel Gilchrist struck a hat-trick for Thetford Town as they hammered Whitton United 6-0 at home.

In the day’s other two games, bottom side Swaffham Town lost 3-0 at home to Walsham-le-Willows and Woodbridge Town beat Haverhill Rovers 3-0 at home.

RORY HAYWARD