Wednesday's First Division South action review

After five games in the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League's First Division South on Wednesday night the title race has opened up again, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.

That was due to a first defeat in fifteen matches for leaders Mickleover Sports and a victory for a now second-placed Leek Town.

Mickleover fell to a 1-0 defeat against Tividale, who are now eighth in the table, eleven points from the top five with five games remaining.

Sports began the match knowing that two wins from their final four games would guarantee the title, but they were undone by a 75th minute Leigh Downing effort for the West Midlanders.

Leek still have it all to do, having five games left to play in a short space of time, but they moved to within ten points of Mickleover following a 2-0 Harrison Park win over mid-table Chasetown.

Leek were looking to recover from back-to-back Easter defeats, and after a pretty even start, Tim Grice gave them a 35th minute lead following an error by the visiting keeper. And five minutes later and Grice made it 2-0 and game over with a looping header.

Stafford Rangers maintained their hopes of making the play-offs after a last-gasp win at Owen Street against Coalville Town.

Rangers broke the deadlock right on the stroke of half-time through Christian Dacres. However, Jamie McAteer pulled the Ravens back on level terms with 16 minutes to go, only for Jazz Luckie to win for Rangers in injury-time.

Mathematically, Stocksbridge Park Steels aren`t safe from the drop yet, but it would need second-bottom Kidsgrove Athletic to win virtually all their remaining four matches to overhaul them after they drew 2-2 at Bracken Moor with mid-table Norton United.

The visitors had a great start when Chris Baker put them in front after less than three minutes. Josh Wright equalised half-an-hour later and then four minutes into the second half, Dan Critchlow put Steels in front. But 12 minutes from time, Lee Cropper popped up with Norton`s equaliser to earn a share of the points.

Wednesday's other game saw Goole AFC move up to fourteenth in the table after a 2-0 win at the Coach & Horses against Sheffield FC.

Matt Semley – son of boss Alan – gave the Vikings a 33rd minute lead that Jack Portman doubled just two minutes later to seal their win.