ALBION Sports have shot up to second in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division after a 3-2 home win over plucky Maltby Main last night.

The visitors sit fourth bottom of the table and went into the clash at Horsfall as heavy underdogs.

Their prospects looked even bleaker after 20 minutes, as Albion raced into a 2-0 lead.

Eisa Faulding opened the scoring, firing home after Tom Ponter’s header had come back off the crossbar.

Maltby then handballed in the box and Robbie Fox stepped up to score from the penalty spot.

But the away side won a penalty of their own soon after, with Nathan Perks converting that to halve the deficit.

Albion dominated the rest of the half, but could not find that all-important third goal.

Ponter hit the bar for a second time, Faulding glanced a header just wide, before good work between Fernando Moke and Lewis Waddington resulted in Maltby defender Robbie Cupitt having to clear the ball off the line.

Owen Murphy had two chances for Albion around the hour mark, coming close with a free-kick before forcing a great save out of Maltby keeper Levi Owen.

But Owen was soon beaten by Tabish Hussain, who dropped a shoulder to create space before crashing a superb strike into the top corner to put Albion 3-1 up.

Moke almost made it 4-1 with 20 minutes to go, but instead Ethan Hobson scored from a free-kick to give Maltby late hope.

The hosts saw the game out though, rising from sixth in the table to second with the victory.

Albion, who were deducted three points earlier this season for inadvertently fielding an ineligible player, are four points behind leaders Campion, with a game in hand on the Red and Blacks.

Eccleshill are at the other end of the table after a poor start to the season, but they found no solace in their West Riding County Cup first-round tie at Goole on Tuesday night, as they were beaten 3-0.

But there was a Halloween treat for Silsden, whose twice-postponed FA Vase first-round game at Redcar Athletic finally went ahead on Tuesday.

The game proved to be worth the wait, as the Cobbydalers romped to a 4-0 away win.

They will travel to Abbey Hey in the next round.

Finally, 10-man Guiseley earned a creditable 1-1 draw at Worksop Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division in midweek, moving up to eighth in the table as a result.