Wilson steals a point for Nailers
DEAD rubber this may have been, but both sides played their part in this end-of-season ding-dong.
The first half was scoreless but both sides had chances. Whitby were first out of the blocks with Harry Green forcing a good save from Tom Jackson.
At the other end, Shane Bland did well to parry Joseph Nyahwema’s near-post snapshot to safety.
Jackson was called into action again on the half hour to deny hometown striker Jos Storr from notching his first Whitby goal, and Connor Simpson headed over the bar.
The Yorkshiremen should have led seconds later, but Jackson brilliantly tipped Green’s rasping effort on to the woodwork.
Whitby were well on top, but Belper, the division’s bottom side, took the lead 11 minutes after the restart - Jacob Gratton slotting his penalty past Bland.
Star man Green levelled the scores on 65 minutes. The ex-Middlesbrough winger left his marker for dead and slammed into the roof of the net from an acute angle. He then turned provider, playing in substitute Brad Fewster to make it 2-1.
Relegated Belper were not to be denied though. Tom Oliver levelled in the last minute and should have taken all three points, but Bland was at his best to prevent Jake Avery from grabbing a last-gasp winner.
Town rounded off the regular league season with a 3-1 win against Hyde United to secure second place in the Northern Premier League, the highest finish in the club’s history.
A packed crowd of 1,415 - the second highest of the season - enjoyed an open, end-to-end game.
The opening goal on 15 minutes was a gift from former Yellows goalkeeper Dan Atherton, who was ushering a loose ball in to his box. Amis stole in and tapped into the empty net.
Amis doubled the lead seven minutes later, and this one was all about him.
A bit of improvisation in midfield by Bohan DixTonks’s
STAFFORD RANGERS stunned champions South Shields at Marston Road with a dominant performance, meaning that they finish the season unbeaten in their last seven games.
Rangers took the lead in the third minute, starting as they meant to go on with Ethan Stewart heading home from a corner.
Tyreece Onyeka impressed throughout and looked for a penalty minutes later, before firing a shot over the bar.
Shields fought back. Darius Osei was denied, Andy Burns blocked Dylon Motley-Henry’s effort, Martin Smith’s free-kick flew over the bar, and Joe Kenton blocked MackenWARRINGTON on set up Luke Duffy to thread a through ball in to Amis, who sent a defender one way and the goalkeeper another with a low shot in to the back of the net.
Tom Pratt’s header, cleared off the line by Andy White, was the closest Hyde came in the first half.
Amis had one chance for a hat-trick, but his header from a Connor Woods zie Heaney’s shot at closerange.
Rangers started the second-half brightly, looking to double their advantage, which they did in the 63rd minute.
Kaiman Anderson latched on to an Alex-Ray Harvey through ball and then nutmegged Mariners’ keeper Myles Boney.
The third goal sealed the points in the 78th minute. cross was well saved by Atherton at his near post.
Hyde gave themselves a lifeline when AJ LeitchSmith scrambled home after Adam Dawson’s shot was spilled by Tony Thompson, but the Yellows sealed it at the death with a strike from Jordan Buckley.
throw-in was flicked on well by Andy Burns to Callum Saunders at the back-post, who fired home with his first touch of the match after coming on moments earlier.
The Mariners go up as champions with a massive 12-point gap over next-best Warrington Town. Rangers finish 12th.