Saturday's First North action review

The second-placed Tigers were inactive due to their game at Radcliffe being one of those postponed, and they would probably have expected to see the gap between them and Shields extended to six points. Instead, it`s only four as Albion battled hard for a 2-2 draw at Dimple Wells.

A crowd of 502, boosted by a terrific following from the north-east, saw Albion race into a shock 2-0 lead by the 14th minute with two goals in a minute from Tom Corner and Adam Priestley. They held that lead until half-time, but just two minutes after the cuppas, Michael Richardson pulled one back for the leaders, who levelled in the 66th minute through Jon Shaw.

That also boosted third-placed Scarborough Athletic, who are a point behind Hyde after winning 3-1 at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds against bottom side Goole AFC, now seven points adrift.

Max Wright gave Boro a good start with a goal inside four minutes. However, they weren`t able to add to that and saw Nathan Curtis level for the Vikings on the hour-mark. But Nathan Valentine restored Boro`s lead on 77 minutes and a Michael Coulson penalty two minutes from time sealed the visitors` win.

The remainder of the top six is made up of Bamber Bridge, Prescot Cables and Trafford. However, the latter`s game at the club immediately below them in the table, Colwyn Bay, was abandoned due to a serious head injury to their striker Danny Frost.

An air ambulance had originally been called to ferry the player to hospital after he slid head first into a wall soon after the hour-mark with the hosts leading 2-0. With Frost conscious but in a bad way, the game was abandoned soon afterwards while he was being treated on the pitch by the medics of both clubs.

Bamber Bridge could virtually have sealed their top six spot had they won at Parkside against Kendal Town but lost 3-2 to goals from Gavin Clark, Steve Yawson and a Richard Seear penalty in the 88th minute – Lewis Nightingale and Mike Potts having pulled Brig level.

Prescot Cables` game was off but Tadcaster Albion`s play-off hopes were dented when they shared a 0-0 draw at Colne, who also possess an outside chance themselves.

Goole's hopes of making a miraculous escape at the bottom were boosted by second-bottom Brighouse Town`s 2-0 home defeat to Glossop North End, leaving the gap seven points, Lewis Lacy scoring both for the Hillmen in the 36th and 51st minutes.

A Jerome Wright goal 18 minutes from time won the game for Ramsbottom United at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium against Clitheroe, while Mossley AFC outgunned Ossett Town 3-2 at Seel Park with Mason Duffy, Tom Dean and Jack Tuohy on target for the Lilywhites and Martin Pembleton and Ashley Jackson for Town.

Image courtesy of @FGroundhopper/Twitter

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