Brigg Town's hopes hit by defeat to Welfare

​Not only did it move their visitors to just one point behind the Zebras and with a game in hand, it also prevented Dave Smith’s side from closing the gap on sixth place, which as things stand would be good enough for a play-off place given Staveley MW still lie fifth but ineligible to compete in them at the end of the season.

Brigg are eighth, six points behind sixth-placed Retford FC and with two games in hand, and crucially the two sides will meet in Retford on Saturday.

Before that, however, Brigg host Shirebrook Town on Wednesday, who sit in the bottom three.

Saturday’s game saw a four-minute spell before half-time prove Brigg’s undoing, with Welfare scoring twice and doing damage that the hosts couldn’t recover from.

First, Jamie Austin netted the opener on 35 minutes and then Cian Guest headed a second on 39.

Elsewhere in NCEL Division One on Saturday, Campion's lead at the top of Division One has been extended to nine points after Aidan Kirby, Patrick Sykes and Aidan Day struck in a 3-0 home win over relegation-threatened Swallownest.

Harrogate Railway Athletic are the only side who can halt their title charge but they were beaten 2-0 at Rossington Main to leave them eleven points away from the summit with five games left to play.

Wakefield AFC secured themselves a play-off spot with their 4-1 victory at Ollerton Town, while a 1-1 draw for Staveley Miners Welfare keeps them secure in fifth.

With Staveley ineligible for the play-offs, sixth place would be good enough to claim a place in the chase for promotion and that is now inhabited by Retford FC who won 2-0 at home to basement side Athersley Recreation.

Horbury Town dropped to seventh after they went down 2-1 at home to Selby Town.

In the battle to avoid relegation, Parkgate moved out of the danger zone as they won 4-0 at home to Worsbrough Bridge Athletic.

Shirebrook Town are the other side, along with Swallownest and Athersley Recreation, in the drop zone as they lost 2-1 at Nostell Miners Welfare.

And, in mid-table, it was 1-1 between Glasshoughton Welfare and Dronfield.