Toolstation NCEL Premier Division title favourites Pontefract Collieries are now in pole position after a 3-0 victory at previous leaders AFC Mansfield in a massive game on Wednesday night.

The Colls, who are now a point ahead of the Bulls with three games in hand, went ahead through Michael Dunn's 29th minute opener before Aaron Moxam and Eli Hey made sure of the win by the hour mark.

Pontefract, who have four matches left to play, are now three points away from securing a top two finish and seven from being champions whilst Mansfield now face an anxious wait to see whether they will end up in a possible promotion-winning position.

There was sad news for Parkgate whose eleven year spell in the top flight came to an end with relegation confirmed on Thursday night.

Martin Brissett netted for the Steelmen but a Benjamin Flowerdew hat-trick helped condemn them a 5-1 defeat at Barton Town with Thomas Waudby and Joshua Tennant getting the other goals.

Ultimately, though, the result did not matter as Hall Road Rangers won 4-0 at home to Handsworth Parramore, Reagan Waud's late double sealing the victory after earlier goals from Daniel Norton and Dane Mortimer - a victory that opened the trapdoor under Parkgate whilst Handsworth's slim hopes of a top-two finish were mathematically ended.

Rangers need two points from their last six games to secure their Premier Division status with Harrogate Railway Athletic's position looking more precarious as a 4-1 home defeat to Hemsworth Miners Welfare on Wednesday leaves them five points away from safety with two games to play.

Bradley Dockerty's brace helped Hemsworth to a win that moves them up to sixth whilst Josh Underwood's goal was the only thing to cheer for Rail on the evening.

Bridlington Town and Athersley Recreation move up to eighth and sixteenth, respectively, after midweek wins with Bridlington 4-1 winners at Albion Sports whilst Lee Garside's 79th minute decider earned the Penguins a 1-0 home defeat of Bottesford Town.

And, it was a point apiece for Penistone Church and visitors Liversedge as Aaron Fell's opener for the away side was cancelled out by Kieran Ryan, leaving Sedge in tenth and Penistone down a place to seventh.

The chase for second spot in Division One will go down to the wire with three teams jostling for glory, Eccleshill United's 9-0 home win over FC Bolsover putting them in the driving seat on Wednesday before they were replaced by Yorkshire Amateur the following night.

Luke Harrop struck four times and there was a hat-trick for Antony Brown as Eccleshill clinically dispatched a Bolsover side who are now just one point above the drop zone with a game to play.

Ashley Flynn then continued his excellent scoring form to net four times in the Ammers' 6-1 win at home to East Yorkshire Carnegie but it is fourth-placed Grimsby Borough who have the race for second in their own hands as they are two points behind their two rivals with a game in hand.

Selby Town can still mathematically make the play-offs after a 2-1 home win over champions Knaresborough Town, early goals from Gary Collier and Joseph Dale doing the damage, but they will need to win their last four matches to have any chance of finishing above Glasshoughton Welfare in sixth.

At the other end, it will be either Bolsover or Brigg Town who will join Retford United in relegation after Worsbrough Bridge Athletic made themselves and East Yorkshire Carnegie safe with a 1-1 home draw with Brigg that leaves their opponents in the bottom two going into their final match of the season.

And, an extra-time victory for Ollerton Town saw them progress into the Quarter-Finals of the League Cup as they beat fellow Division One side Grimsby Borough, 4-2, Kyle Ludlow and Gavin King's second of the evening in the added half-hour securing them a trip to Handsworth in the last eight.

Photo: Benjamin Flowerdew guides home the second goal of his hat-trick in Barton Town's 5-1 home win over a Parkgate side whose relegation from the Premier Division was confirmed. (Picture: Trevor Richens)

Match Highlights