Saturday's Round-Up: The National League North

Second-placed Harrogate Town must have begun celebrating going back to the summit after they won 2-0 at the CNG Stadium against relegation-threatened Gainsborough Trinity, but instead are a point behind, but crucially with a game in hand on the Ammies.

Goals from Mani Sonupe after 21 minutes, Joe Ironside on 33 minutes, Lee Vaughan 9 minutes into the second half and Dan Bradley 2 minutes later put Harriers well in command before the visitors` amazing fight back.

Substitutes Josh Askew on 81 minutes, Nick Haughton on 89 minutes and Mani Dieseruvwe in the 90th minute pulled it back to 4-3 before Salford were awarded a stoppage time penalty.

Brandon Hall saved Tom Walker's initial effort, but the forward followed up to net the rebound to stun the home fans in the 2,524 crowd.

Harrogate duly recorded a seventh home league win.

Jack Emmett opened the scoring after 18 minutes, but Trinity battled hard and Harrogate `keeper James Belshaw was forced into making several saves to keep the lead intact.

But on 66 minutes Mark Beck scored Town's second from close range after good work by Warren Burrell to seal victory.

Sixcth-placed Blyth Spartans were shocked at Church Lane as already-relegated North Ferriby United won for only the third time this season.

A relaxed Villagers took the points to leave Spartans nervously looking over their shoulders at the chasing pack in the play-off race, thanks to a goal from Jordan Cooke on the hour-mark.

Stockport County are back in the top seven after inflicting a damaging 4-0 defeat on another side in relegation trouble, Leamington.

A crowd of 3,673 at Edgeley Park saw Jimmy Ball give the Hatters a great start with a goal inside the opening 2 minutes.

Rhys Turner doubled the hosts` lead in the 19th minute and it was virtually game over by the 31st minute when Ball grabbed his second and Stockport`s third.

A quieter second half saw Scott Duxbury add a fourth for the home side in the 83rd minute.

Defeat leaves the Brakes just three points above the drop zone.

Boston United eased their relegation fears and at the same time dented Chorley`s play-off hopes with a 1-0 win at Victory Park to end a run of five games without a win.

Reece Thompson netted the only goal of the game in the 10th minute, slotting beyond Matt Urwin following some good work from Jake Beesley.

And despite the Magpies creating chances, the Pilgrims held firm and Chorley`s frustrations saw Dale Whitham dismissed in time added on.

A determined Darlington side shared a 0-0 draw at the New Buck’s Head against third-bottom AFC Telford United.

The point leaves the Bucks one point below Tamworth, while the Quakers are only five points behind the play-off places but have played more games than those above them.

Southport`s run of five straight wins came to an end as they suffered a 3-1 defeat at the Merseyrail Community Stadium against an Alfreton Town side who are now three points clear of the drop zone.

Tom Allan gave the Reds a great start with a goal inside 2 minutes.

Brendan Daniels added a second for the visitors 7 minutes before half-time,

On-loan Nyal Bell made the points safe for Alfreton with a third in the 76th minute, although Jason Gilchrist did manage to reduce the deficit 4 minutes later.

Port finished with ten-men after David Lynch was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Ryan Jennings in the 6th minute of stoppage time.

FC United of Manchester put a six-point gap between them and the bottom three and at the same time probably ended Bradford Park Avenue`s play-off hopes after beating them 4-0 at Broadhurst Park.

However, the home side were considerably aided by Avenue going down to nine-men just before the break!

In the 44th minute, Matt Hill received his marching orders for a foul – a decision which seemed a little harsh.

And to make it worse for Avenue, Jeff King broke the deadlock from the resulting free-kick.

And then in first half injury-time, another harsh-looking decision resulted in Avenue going down to nine-men when Oli Johnson followed for an early shower.

Just shy of the hour-mark, King added FC United`s second and Ged Garner made it 3-0 on 68 minutes, with King completing his hat-trick from the spot following a handball decision 3 minutes later.

A `six-pointer` at the Tameside Stadium saw Curzon Ashton move above Tamworth into eighteenth after a hard-fought 1-0 win.

Sam Walker scored the all-important goal for the Nash 8 minutes into the second half to lift them tow points in front of AFC Telford and one of the Lambs.

(Photo: Harrogate Town FC)