Premier Division round-up: South Shields extend lead as Rylands tame Tigers

Second half goals from Darius Osei and Robert Briggs were enough for the Mariners, who have now won each of their last three league matches by a two-goal margin.

Hyde United were unable to keep pace with the leaders as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to managerless Warrington Rylands.

Harry Pratt scored the winner for the Blues midway through the first half as they climbed back to within one point of the play-off places.

Two of the other teams that started the weekend in the top five, Bamber Bridge and Gainsborough Trinity, also dropped points at home.

The Brig thought they’d snatched victory at the death against Stalybridge Celtic as Connor Stanley fired home brilliantly from 25 yards, only for Kyle Harrison to net a dramatic equaliser in second half stoppage time.

Meanwhile, Gainsborough were beaten 1-0 by Whitby Town - a result which sees the Holy Blues drop out of the play-off places after Radcliffe leapfrogged them with a point at home to Marine.

Warrington Town made it 10 games unbeaten as second half goals from Stefan Mols and Tom Hannigan were enough for a 2-0 win over Stafford Rangers.

At the Proctor Cars Stadium, Matlock Town beat FC United of Manchester 1-0 and climbed above them in the league table thanks to a close range finish from John Johnston seven minutes after half-time.

Guiseley remain in the top half following a 4-2 victory at Marske United, while Ashton United remain four points adrift of them after earning a 1-0 victory over Morpeth Town.

Elsewhere, Nantwich Town climbed up to 16th after coming from behind to beat Atherton Collieries 2-1.

Goals for the Dabbers from Daniel Cockerline and Troy Bourne cancelled out Scott Bakkor’s sixth minute opener for Colls.

And in the battle of the bottom two, Belper Town won 3-1 at Liversedge to climb off the foot of the Northern Premier League table.

Results - Saturday 4 February

Ashton United 1-0 Morpeth Town
Bamber Bridge 1-1 Stalybridge Celtic
Gainsborough Trinity 0-1 Whitby Town
Hyde United 0-1 Warrington Rylands
Liversedge 1-3 Belper Town
Marske United 2-4 Guiseley
Matlock Town 1-0 FC United of Manchester
Nantwich Town 2-1 Atherton Collieries
Radcliffe 1-1 Marine
South Shields 2-0 Lancaster City
Warrington Town 2-0 Stafford Rangers

Photo credit: Warrington Rylands