With the season drawing to a close it was three precious points for Halifax at the Shay after a Tom Denton header gave the boys in blue all three points. But how did the rest of Town’s promotion rivals fair in the Vanarama National League North, let’s take a look…
The big shock of the day came at Stalybridge’s Bower Fold, as the Celtics maintained their league status with a 2-1 victory against league leaders AFC Fylde. Goals from Wisdom and Pilkington came either side of a Danny Rowe goal to put Stalybridge 8 points from safety with 2 games in hand, whilst simultaneously putting the Shaymen seven points behind Fylde – the table toppers visit on Friday.
Another side hoping for Fylde to slip-up is Kidderminster Harriers who kept up the pace with a 2-1 win away at Gloucester, Daniel Nti got the winning goal after an own goal was cancelled out by Gloucester City’s Hornby.
It was a dramatic affair at Harrogate as the home side scored a 90th minute equaliser to dampen Salford’s playoff hopes. To say the game was dramatic would be an understatement with Simon Ainge scoring three penalties in the final ten minutes to ruin the Mancunians day.
Darlington closed out the playoff spots with a 3-2 win at home to Tamworth; the game was back and forth with Darlington taking an early lead courtesy of Terry Galbraith, before Danny Newton pulled one back before the fifteen-minute mark. Stephen Thompson and Nathan Cartmen put the Quakers 3-1 up, but Ross Dyer made it 3-2.
It would be Chorley who dropped out of the playoff spot after they suffered a disappointing 1-1 draw away at Nuneaton. It was Whitman who gave Chorley the lead in the first-half, but the side known for its good defence conceded with twenty minutes left and that’s how things would stay.
Brackley kept up their outside chance of reaching the playoffs with a 3-1 away victory at Altrincham; Steve Daggin bagged the opener on the half-hour mark, before second-half goals from Jordan Hempenstall and Lee Ndvolu made it 3 – Altrincham would grab themselves a late goal, but it wouldn’t be enough for the already relegated side.
Down the other end of the table it was a frustrating day for Gainsborough as they lost 1-0 at home to Stockport. Danny Lloyd scored from the spot as Stockport kept themselves in the playoff hunt.
The result at Worcester compounded Gainsborough’s misery as they drew 1-1 at home to Curzon. Still City will be disappointed it wasn’t more after Jordan Murphy megged the keeper to give them an early lead, Curzon wouldn’t be denied though as Cummins denied City victory.
Elsewhere Bradford Park Avenue drew 0-0 at home to FC United as Park Avenue moved 10 points clear of the drop zone and Boston won 3-0 against Telford, in a result that leaves Telford 9 points above the relegation places.
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