BUCKS ON TRACK FOR; PLAY-OFFS Record crowd sees crucial win BLUE SQUARE NORTH.

AFC Telford 3

Harrogate 1

TELFORD cemented their position in the play-offs defeating fellow play-off hopefuls Harrogate in front of a Blue Square North record attendance of 3,226.

The home-side got off to the worst possible start as they conceded after just 13 seconds.

A Jamie Price long ball out of defence found Danny Holland and his shot was palmed out in to the path of Chris Bettney who made no mistake from close range.

The goal silenced the fans but they soon found their voices when Lee Moore played in Telford striker Matty Lewis, only for him to be tripped in the area by Nathan Peat. Telford's top scorer dusted himself down to fire the penalty home for a 28th-minute equaliser.

The Bucks took the lead eight minutes before the interval when Lewis left two defenders stranded to play in man of the match Moore, who rolled the ball in to the bottom corner.

Dave Roberts increased their tally on 55 minutes, heading powerfully into the roof of the net from a Jon Adams corner for his first goal for the club.

Hucknall Town 2

Nuneaton Borough 2

NUNEATON manager Kevin Wilkin had complained in midweek that too many draws were killing his side's play-off chances and it was the same old story at Watnall Road.

Despite the setback of losing key striker Jordan Stepien with a hamstring injury after just 15 minutes, Boro twice led but their relegation-battling hosts hit back to leave Nuneaton with a third successive draw.

Nuneaton suffered an early setback when Stepien limped out of action but replacement Danny Williams fired them ahead eight minutes before half-time following a goalmouth scramble.

Hucknall, however, levelled on 56 minutes, but the equaliser was stamped with controversy. Boro keeper Darren Acton felt he was impeded as he went to collect a header from team-mate Darren Acton but the ball fell loose and Dan Macpherson stabbed the ball home.

Williams again led Boro's response as they regained the lead on 63 minutes. Williams storming run took him past three defenders before he set up Robert Taylor to slam home his shot.

Boro had chances to seal the points, but they could not hold on and 14 minutes from time Ben Saunders bundled home the equaliser.

Tamworth 1

Boston 1

TAMWORTH extended their unbeaten run to five games but once again should have netted all three points rather than the one they had to settle for.

Former Lambs player Jon Stevenson netted with nine remaining after Tamworth had dominated the first half.

Nick Wright's seventh minute shot went wide of the mark after glancing the last defender and Gareth Sheldon's 16th-minute effort was deflected over the bar by visiting keeper Chris Wright's legs.

Jake Sheridan and Michael Briscoe also had good chances in the first 45 which ultimately saw the Lambs take the lead in added time at the end of the first period after Briscoe's header was turned home by Sheldon.

But half-time Boston substitute Stevenson brought a rare lease of life to the Pilgrims and came to their rescue when Tamworth failed to clear a free kick.

Workington 1

Solihull Moors 1

A LATE Danny Crane save ensured Solihull returned home with a well deserved point.

A confident opening by Solihull saw Darren Middleton fire just over and he again went close on 14 minutes before Moors took the lead two minutes later.

Jason Moore pressurised a defender and took advantage of his mistake to fire home.

The only threat from the home side came on 34 minutes with a break by David Hewson, but Crane raced out of his goal to save at his feet.

Workington equalised on 56 minutes when Anthony Wright's shot was deflected past Crane.

Middleton replied for Solihull, but his shot flashed across the face of goal. Crane saved Solihull with five minutes to go tipping over Workington substitute Matt Berkeley's well-struck shot.

Redditch United 0

Barrow 5

REDDITCH received a footballing lesson from in-form Barrow, who moved into a play-off place above Nuneaton thanks to this result.

The Bluebirds took the lead on ten minutes when Nick Rogan outmuscled Richard Evans and squared to Andrew Bond, who netted from ten yards.

Ten minutes before the interval, the visitors extended their lead when Rogan finished off after Danny Lewis had saved from Jason Walker.

Redditch had a good spell of pressure around the hour mark, and had an opportunity to reduce the deficit when the referee awarded a penalty for handball. However, Tim Deasy flung himself to his right to keep out Liam Daly's spot-kick.

That knocked the stuffing out of the Reds, and with 16 minutes remaining Barrow moved further ahead when Walker tapped home at the far post following excellent work on the right by Matt Henney.

Rogan scored his second three minutes later when he turned in the area and beat Lewis with a low shot into the corner. Steve McNulty rounded off the scoring three minutes from time when he scored from the spot after Richard Softley inexplicably handled.

Blyth Spartans 6

Worcester City 0

BLYTH swept aside Worcester to ease their lingering relegation fears, with City manager Richard Dryden offering an apology to the City supporters after the game.

Robbie Dale gave Spartans the lead after five minutes with a scuffed shot that beat Cameron Belford, and when Craig Wilding was dismissed for kicking an opponent two minutes later, the writing was on the wall for the visitors.

Ged Dalton made it two-nil on ten minutes, turning Craig Brown and firing home, then Dale scored his second and Blyth's third when he finished from close range two minutes later.

Dale completed a quick-fire treble on 14 minutes when he rounded off an excellent move involving Dalton and Boyle, scoring from 12 yards.

Shabir Khan played a loose pass straight to Stephen Birks eight minutes after the interval, and with Belford out of position, Birks slotted the ball into the empty net.

Gary Brown added a sixth for Spartans in stoppage time with a close-range tap-in.

Hinckley United 2

Hyde United 1

HINCKLEY moved out of the relegation zone with this crucial victory over Hyde.

Hyde took the lead in added time at the end of the first half, when Matthew Tipton controlled a long ball on the edge of the Knitters' area and lobbed Michael Jones.

Hinckley levelled ten minutes after the break when Leigh Platnauer floated a free kick into the Tigers' area, and Richard Lavery headed home from ten yards.

Michael Jones made an excellent stop to keep the scores level, when Chris Simm was left unmarked on the edge of the area and fired in a low shot which Jones did very well to turn away.

The importance of that save was underlined just moments later when Platnauer's corner found Tom Birch at the far post, and Birch headed home what proved to be the winner from six yards to take the Knitters a point clear of Hucknall Town in the battle to avoid the drop.

CAPTION(S):

ON TARGET: Lee Moore celebrates his goal for Telford against Harrogate