Defeats for Albion Sports and Hallam at the weekend means that the NCEL's participation in the Isuzu FA Vase has come to an end for the 2024/25 season.

Firstly, Hallam recovered from being 2-0 down at the interval to draw level at Atherton Laburnum Rovers in their Fourth Round tie on Saturday with goals from Gregory Smith and Brandon Bradbury early in the second period.

However, with the game deep into injury time, the home side converted their second penalty of the afternoon to go through 3-2, meaning the Countrymen could not reach the Fifth Round for the second successive year.

But, it was another excellent season in the competition for the Sandygate side along with Sports whose best-ever run in the competition ended on Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 home loss to Crook Town.

The Lions were level until the 70th minute before their Ebac Northern League visitors secured their place in the last sixteen.

After the disappointingly quiet start to 2025 due to the bad weather, it was great to see all but one of the weekend's fixtures go ahead - the only casualty being Friday night's Division One match between Nostell Miners Welfare and their visitors South Leeds.

It meant that eight games were played in the Premier Division with leaders Silsden AFC stretching their lead at the summit to six points as their two closest rivals both tasted defeat.

But, they were almost the victims of a remarkable comeback in a match that they led 4-0 going into the final nine minutes.

Luke Brooksbank's first half injury time strike was added to in the second period through Jake Maltby, Kayle Price and Casey Stewart as they seemed to be sauntering to a comfortable victory.

Howvever, Brandon Bagley opened visitors Handsworth's account in the 88th minute and Scott Ruthven struck twice more in stoppage time to bring the score back to 4-3 in a nail-biting finale.

Silsden held on, though, to take the points and full advantage of slip-ups by Golcar United and Thackley who were both beaten 3-2 on their travels.

Golcar remain in second on goal difference after their defeat at Barton Town, George Doyle and Alfie Wilkinson with their goals bookending strikes from Tyler Edwards, Oliver Baldwin and Thomas Waudby for the Swans.

And, Thackley were level going into injury time at Knaresborough Town after Slater Barnes and Muhammet Tektas had restored parity for them following goals for the hosts from Benjamin Parkes and then from the penalty spot by Jack Lazenby.

Philip Milson then pounced at the death to grab the victory for Knaresborough who climb to seventeenth, moving seven points clear of the relegation zone in a vital win for them.

Fourth-placed Beverley Town tightened their grip on a play-off spot as Glen Sani, Luke Sellers, Nathan Ofori and Kian Larkin netted in a 4-0 home win over Frickley Athletic.

Penistone Church climb into the top five following their 3-0 win at Pickering Town, Nathan Keightley with their first half opener whilst Luca Defalco and Kieran Ryan wrapped things up in the second period.

Bradley Grayson's 72nd minute winner earned Rossington Main a 2-1 victory at Parkgate to move them up into ninth whilst Eccleshill United let a two-goal lead slip at Bottesford Town to leave with nothing.

Lewis Waddington and Shiraz Khan gave them a firm foothold by the 32nd minute but a triple whammy in quick succession midway through the second half, courtesy of Lewis Smith twice and then once from Luke Ayris, secured a 3-2 home win for the Poachers.

Bottesford jump up into fifteenth but Eccleshill drop to eighteenth, five points above the drop zone with the side just below them in the bottom two, Winterton Rangers, drawing 0-0 with visitors Tadcaster Albion.

Horbury Town's domination of Division One has become even more profound after their 4-1 home win over Worsbrough Bridge Athletic extended their advantage at the top to fourteen points.

In one of the ten games played in the division on Saturday, they had gone behind to Keelan Grist's sixteenth minute strike but Gibril Bojang and Luke Playford ensured that they led at the break.

And, they secured the three points with their third from Abdou Bojang and Gibril Bojang's second completed the scoring near the end of the encounter.

Wombwell Town started the weekend in second spot but a 1-1 draw at promotion rivals Ilkley Town sees them drop to fourth with their hosts falling to fifth.

Jordan Kershaw had put the visitors ahead but the spoils were shared due to Kevin Gonzalez's equaliser with eleven minutes remaining.

Brigg Town and Wakefield AFC climb to second and third, respectively, after they picked up victories, Taron Hare's late winner meaning Brigg prevailed by a single goal at home to Dearne & District.

Wakefield won 5-0 at Louth Town who stay in the relegation zone thanks to a brace for Kiyani Clayton along with one each from Muhamet Gashi, Bradley McGowan and Shay Evans-Booth.

Ashley Flynn got two of Maltby Main's goals as they won 3-1 at home to Swallownest and the Miners are up to eighth in the table, six points away from the play-off zone.

Selby Town staved off a late comeback from visitors Shelley to win 3-2 to tighten their grip on tenth spot, Harry Claphan with a couple of the goals for the Robins.

The travails have continued for the bottom two sides with defeats for Appleby Frodingham and Yorkshire Amateur.

App-Frod remain in the basement, now thirteen points from safety, after they were beaten 3-0 at home by Harrogate Railway Athletic, Sam Clothier netting a couple for the thirteenth-placed Rail.

The Ammers, meanwhile, led at Club Thorne Colliery through a Madamadou Ceesay spot kick but Dominic Mellor and Adam Baskerville claimed a 2-1 victory for the home side and they climb to fourteenth whilst their visitors are now ten points away from getting out of the bottom three.

That gap has increased due to Dronfield Town's 3-1 win at Athersley Recreation, Max Rhodes' second half double helping his side to a big three points that moves them further away from the trapdoor.

And, it was honours even at the Marra Falcons Stadium as Ryan Ellison's early strike for hosts Armthorpe Welfare was cancelled out halfway through the second period by Glasshoughton Welfare's Liam Flanagan in a 1-1 draw.

Photo: Delight for Harry Clapham as he scores the first of his two goals in Selby Town's 3-2 win over visitors Shelley in NCEL Division One on Saturday. (Picture: Thomas Crabb)