Tuesday's Premier Division action review

Leaders Blyth Spartans travelled down to Derbyshire to take on third-bottom Mickleover Sports and returned with a good 2-0 win that moved them thirteen points clear at the top of the table.

Alex Nicholson have Spartans the lead seven minutes before half-time. But it wasn`t until stoppage time at the end of the game that an Arran Wearmouth effort doubled their lead and eased their nerves.

Game of the night, however, was at Heritage Park where 1,587 saw Darlington 1883 move into second spot after achieving a league `double` over fellow promotion contenders Salford City.

On February 13th, the Quakers edged a seven-goal thriller at Moor Lane. This time they needed an injury-time winner to seal a five-goal epic.

Terry Galbraith gave the home side a 41st minute lead that Chris Lynch cancelled out immediately after the break. Darlington fell 2-1 behind on 83 minutes to a goal from Josh Hine but Leon Scott equalised two minutes later and then substitute Liam Hardy popped up to score his first goal for the club in dramatic fashion in time added on.

Ashton United moved to within four points of fifth-placed Stourbridge with a game in hand after winning 2-0 at the Turnbull Ground against fourth-bottom Whitby Town.

Martin Pilkington proved to be the visitors` hero on the night, opening the scoring after 25 minutes and then bagging a second two minutes from the end of the game to seal victory.

The evening got worse for Whitby when news filtered through that Marine AFC had won 3-2 at Skelmersdale United to move five points clear of the drop zone. A stunning strike from Stephen Wainwright sealed victory for the Mariners in the M58 derby.

The deadlock was broken in stunning style on 15 minutes as former Skem striker Danny Mitchley fired the visitors ahead with an effort from just inside the area.

The lead was doubled within two minutes after a foul from Valter Fernandes saw Mitchley convert from the penalty spot to open up a 2-0 lead. The home fans had cause to celebrate on 27 minutes though as a corner from Louis Corrigan sailed straight in past Matty Cooper to make it 2-1.

Skelmersdale drew level just before the half-time interval as Chris Almond fired a superb shot over Cooper and into the top corner to send the sides into the break level at 2-2.

However, the visitors regained the lead within two minutes of the restart as a looping shot from Wainwright sailed past Martin Fearon made it 3-2.

Skem battled late on to try and salvage a draw but to no avail as they slipped to back-to back defeats.

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