A TALENT Ndlovu hat-trick helped Eccleshill United beat Albion Sports 4-1 in last night's Bradford derby.

The result saw hosts Eccleshill vault back into the top two in the NCEL Premier Division, and get their promotion challenge back on track after going three games without a win.

The defeat means Albion sit 18th in the 20-team league, just two points above the relegation zone, but they have three games hand on second-bottom Hemsworth Miners Welfare.

The home side opened the scoring after 19 minutes, with Eccleshill captain Ndlovu sending Albion stopper George Clarke the wrong way from the penalty spot.

But former Eccleshill defender Aran Basi levelled the scores for Albion just before the break.

A second Ndlovu penalty restored the Eagles' lead a minute before half-time though, as he slotted the ball into the bottom right corner with Clarke rooted to the spot.

Luke Aldrich made it 3-1 to Eccleshill on the hour mark, with a lovely downward header that just squeezed over the line, despite Clarke getting his fingertips to the ball and pushing it on to the post.

Ndlovu completed his hat-trick midway through the second half with a slightly fortunate goal.

Sumaili Cissa's low cross in was deflected, with Aldrich and Clarke both going for the ball.

Clarke took his eye off the ball under Aldrich's challenge, and it hit the keeper and rebounded out to the onrushing Ndlovu, who fired home from close range.

Sherwood Colliery are one of Eccleshill's promotion rivals, and they kept up their challenge with a 2-1 home win over Silsden.

Gareth Curtis and Lewis Belgrave put them 2-0 up at the break, and a late Antony Brown strike, which saw him curl the ball home nicely following a corner, was a mere consolation for Silsden.