Saturday's First Division North action review

Champions-elect Skelmersdale United celebrated being on the brink of winning the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League's First Division North championship by hammering Farsley FC 5-1 at Throstle Nest and netting their 100th goal in the process, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.

Skem celebrated in style against a side who pre-season would have been one of the favourites to go up. But it has been a disappointing campaign for the Yorkshire side who found themselves 4-0 down at half-time to goals from Adam Morning after 16 minutes, Lewis Field on 27, Rob McIntosh four minutes later and a Sam Ashton penalty eight minutes before the break.

Gareth Grant reduced the deficit for Farsley on 57 minutes, but Mattie Hughes made it nap and had the honour of scoring the 100th league goal ten minutes from time.

Who goes up with Skem is still far from certain with seven teams still having a chance of making the play-offs. Ramsbottom United remain in second place, but are only two points in front of sixth-placed Clitheroe, despite beating Lancaster City 2-0 at the Riverside, courtesy of goals from Lee Gaskell on the hour-mark and Grant Spencer on 69 minutes.

Trafford are level on points with Rammy after beating second-bottom Goole AFC 2-1 at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds with goals from Michael Oates – his thirty-second of the season – after just three minutes and the Will Ahern in stoppage time after Andy Jackson had equalised for the Vikings in the sixth minute.

New Mills shared a goalless draw at Cammell Laird, who are eighth but have games in hand on those above them and are three points behind the top five. The Millers also have games in hand and could mathematically still take the title, although one would imagine a tiring team will be happy enough with a top five finish.

Mossley, Clitheroe and Curzon Ashton are the other top five contenders, although only Clitheroe managed a win on Saturday, and that was a close-run affair against third-bottom Ossett Albion, who fought back from 3-0 down to make it 3-2 with goals from Dale Kelly on 65 minutes and Joe Fox seven minutes later. Daley Woods on 12 minutes, Chris Mason a minute before the break and Scott Bakkor on 60 minutes had given the Blues their three-goal lead.

Mossley could only manage a 0-0 draw at Burscough, while Curzon lost 3-1 at Stainton Park to Radcliffe Borough, whose Kevin Sanasy opened the scoring after 15 minutes. Ben Wharton doubled their advantage on 34 minutes. Sam Walker reduced the arrears from the spot three minutes later, but Sanasy's second five minutes after the break eventually proved enough for a Boro win.

Bottom side Garforth Town suffered a fourteenth home defeat in going down 2-0 to Salford City, whose Nathan Taylor after 31 minutes and Nathan McDonald on the hour-mark were the scorers.

Fourth-bottom Wakefield were beaten 4-0 at Valerie Park by the team immediately above them in the table, Prescot Cables, for whom Carl Furlong on nine minutes, a Jack Fisher own goal on 22, Dave Dempsey in the 58th and Jonathan Bathurst in injury-time were the marksmen.

Elsewhere, Ossett Town beat Bamber Bridge 2-0 at Ingfield, courtesy of Shane Kelsey on the hour and Macauley Parkinson two minutes later to maintain their decent end-of-season run. Warrington Town won 2-1 at Station View against Harrogate Railway Athletic with goals from Liam Dawson and James McCarten inside the opening nine minutes – Nathan Cartman replying five minutes from time.