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NPL round-up | Hebburn held, Workington move off the bottom and Stockton return to the top five

Hebburn Town’s 0-0 draw away at Warrington Town on Saturday ensured they remain top of the Northern Premier League, despite the sides below closing the gap.

The Hornets are now only top on goal difference, after Hednesford Town won their third consecutive game, this time at home to Guiseley.

First-half goals from Montel Gibson and Ahkeem Rose secured a routine 2-0 win over Ian Richards’ side, meaning that the Pitmen drew level on points with Hebburn and have a game in hand to climb back above them.

FC United of Manchester are now just one point removed from top spot after they also secured a third straight victory, running out 2-0 winners against Bamber Bridge.

Unlike at Keys Park, both goals came in the second half as Jay Fitzmartin and Adam Le Fondre fired Mark Beesley’s side to victory.

Bamber Bridge are now winless in six and six points off the play-offs.

Warrington Rylands also won 2-0 away at Leek Town to end a brief two-game winless run and move six points off leaders Hebburn.

They’re now six points ahead of Gainsborough Trinity, who didn’t play this weekend, but Russ Wilcox’s side have played three games fewer than Rylands.

Gainsborough, in fact, dropped out of the play-offs this weekend after Stockton Town came away from the New Manor Ground with all three points, beating Ilkeston Town 1-0.

Josh Scott netted his third goal in two games to secure the win for Stockton and move the Anchors back into the top five, but the Holy Blues will have an opportunity to regain their play-off place in midweek.

Ilkeston fell to 12th, but they, like Guiseley and Leek, still have a healthy barrier between themselves and those down at the bottom.

Speaking of the relegation scrap, Workington and Morpeth Town picked up big wins against other struggling sides over the weekend, with every side in the bottom six playing each other during the latest round of fixtures.

Workington climbed off the foot of the table with their fourth consecutive win at Borough Park, leapfrogging Stocksbridge Park Steels, who they beat 2-0.

Jack Dickinson put the hosts ahead just minutes into the second half, and Luke Hunter’s effort in second-half stoppage time ensured a massive three points which draws Billy Barr’s side level with safety.

Stocksbridge missed out on the opportunity to climb out of the drop zone, which they would have done with a win, after Morpeth downed Hyde United at Craik Park.

Will Dowling scored the only goal of the game as the Highwaymen ended a six-game losing run to draw level with Michael Clegg’s side, who are only out of the relegation zone on goal difference. They’ve now won just one of their last 18 games.

And the final match-up between sides in the bottom six ended level as Prescot Cables and Rushall Olympic took one step away from the drop.

Cables cancelled out Rushall’s opener at Valerie Park, in a result which extended both sides’ winless runs but also saw them move one point further away from relegation.

Elsewhere, a Whitby Town capitulation in the final 11 minutes gifted Lancaster City a return to winning ways as they moved to within two points of the top five.

The Seasiders had a slim 1-0 lead and a man advantage too, after Bobby Bjork was dismissed early in the second half.

However, two goals in as many minutes from Dylan Thompson and Dom Lawson turned the game on its head, before Nic Evangelinos secured the win for the 10-man Dolly Blues in stoppage time.

Whitby missed out on the opportunity to move up into 11th, which they would have done with a win. Instead, they remain 15th, with a five-point gap between themselves and the drop zone.

And, despite taking the lead inside the first minute through Callum Ainley, Cleethorpes Town found themselves behind heading into the final moments at home against Ashton United, after two second-half goals put the Robins ahead.

Liam Hughes popped up with an 89th-minute goal though, to extend their unbeaten run to three games and keep the Owls in the top 10. Meanwhile, Ashton’s winless run now stands at four after the late equaliser.

Results - Saturday 14 March