ALBION Sports gave their Bradford rivals Eccleshill United a real scare yesterday, but in the end, the title-chasing Eagles earned a thrilling 3-2 away win.

The narrow victory takes Eccleshill top of the NCEL Premier Division, a point ahead of Grimsby Borough, who had their Bank Holiday game at home to Barton Town called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Eccleshill took the lead after 10 minutes, courtesy of Sumaili Cissa, but new Albion signing Mohammed Qasim, who joined them from Silsden two weeks ago, levelled soon after.

The teams were locked at 1-1 for most of the game, but when Robbie Fox netted with 20 minutes to go, Albion looked set to secure a shock victory.

But the Eagles are not title contenders for no reason. Emmerson Cox equalised on 77 minutes, before his side won a penalty just moments later.

Up stepped a nerveless Talent Ndlovu, who converted a vital winner for the visitors.

The defeat leaves Albion in a precarious position, third-bottom and just six points clear of the relegation zone.

Another Bradford side who won away were Thackley, as they beat Garforth Town 2-0.

Luke Wilson made a good save early on after the hosts broke the offside trap and that proved crucial when Will Jackson gave the Dennyboys the lead two minutes later.

A Loz Hunter free-kick was punched clear, but Jackson picked up the ball on the edge of the box, dropped a shoulder to beat his man, and curled one into the bottom corner.

Garforth Town then saw a back post effort go wide, before Thackley defender Kris Hargreaves blew a great chance to make it two, when the ball spun under his foot at the far post following a corner.

The game turned decisively in Thackley’s favour just before half-time, when visiting captain Paul Whiteley was brought down by Garforth’s Jamie Barkway, who was dismissed for being the last man.

Wilson saved an early second-half Garforth chance, but Lewis Waddington soon doubled Thackley’s advantage.

Chris Lever robbed a defender of the ball and it came to Ben Grech-Brooksbank. He slid in Waddington, who put the ball into the top corner.

Thackley then had a great chance at the back post from a free-kick, but Garforth keeper Toby Wells managed to paw the ball off the line.

Waddington shot wide when Thackley had a good three-on-three chance, before some late Garforth pressure nearly saw them grab a consolation.

Whiteley had to clear off the line from a corner, before Wilson parried a header away following an injury-time free kick.

The win takes Thackley up to 13th in the 20-team league, where they sit behind Silsden on goal difference only.

The Cobbydalers has a superb win of their own yesterday, as they obliterated visiting Knaresborough Town 8-1.

Khurram Shazad hit a first-half hat-trick, with Jack Normanton doing so too after the break.

Jos Bradshaw and Finn Donovan netted Silsden’s other goals against hapless Knaresborough, who had actually opened the scoring courtesy of Ewan Gregson.