Tuesday's Premier Division action review

North Ferriby United moved three points clear at the top of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division table after a 2-0 win at the Reynolds Stadium against Matlock Town on Tuesday night, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.

Former Gladiators` favourite Liam King put Ferriby on the way to victory with the opener after 58 minutes before the NPL Fans Facebook Player of the Season Ryan Kendall added a second on 71 minutes.

Second-placed Hednesford Town could draw level on points with Ferriby if they beat Buxton away on Wednesday night to set up what is an exciting finale to the title race. The battle for a top five spot also goes on with still half-a-dozen teams still in with a chance.

Rushall Olmypic's hopes took a blow when Worksop Town came away with maximum points at Dales Lane. The Tigers opened the scoring after less than six minutes when Tom Denton powerfully headed home from close range. The Pics had a great chance to level after 22 minutes from the penalty spot when Tigers' skipper Stuart Ludlam handled in the box, only for Rushall's top scorer Dave Walker to put the spot-kick well wide.

But the game's big turning point came on 32 minutes. A challenge from Hakeem Islam on Kerm Miller sparked a reaction from the visitors and Islam was sent-off. After two minutes of the restart, Worksop scored a second goal as Matt Young curled a 20-yard effort past Chris Gemmell. Rushall threw everything forward and scored through Josh Craddock's pin-point header with 27 minutes to go. The home side even got close to an equaliser when substitute Lindon Dovey put Walker through on goal, only for the striker to fire wide.

The defeat allowed AFC Fylde to leap-frog Rushall into fifth place after a hard-earned 1-0 home win over Blyth Spartans. Fylde hammered Spartans 5-0 in front of their own fans just over a month ago, but they found the visitors a much tougher nut to crack this time. In the end a 35th minute effort from former Manchester United academy player Michael Barnes proved the winner, although Spartans were perhaps unfortunate not to get a point.

Both Witton Albion and FC United of Manchester consolidated their top five places with away wins on Tuesday.

Albion beat a battling, relegation-threatened Kendal Town side 2-1 at Parkside, taking a 35th minute lead through Steve Foster before Adam Freeland pegged them back with a Kendal leveller 11 minutes into the second half. But, ironically, it was former Kendal player Marc Joseph who won it for Witton with 14 minutes remaining.

FC United travelled across the Pennines to take on third-bottom Stocksbridge Park Steels and came away 3-1 winners. Jerome Wright put the Reds in front after 39 minutes and then
two minutes after the break Adam Jones doubled their advantage. But Nathan Joynes reduced the deficit eight minutes later, only for Greg Daniels to score FC United's third just three minutes afterwards.