ECCLESHILL United made a giant leap towards safety on Saturday afternoon in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

They hosted fellow strugglers Goole in a huge six-pointer for both sides, with those two battling to avoid the one relegation spot in the division this season, along with basement boys Maltby Main.

And it was the Bradford side who came out on top, winning 2-0 on home soil to stretch the gap between themselves and Maltby to six points.

They are also now four clear of Goole, and with a game in hand on the East Yorkshire side.

For a game many might have expected to be extremely cagey, the first half in BD2 on Saturday was full of chances, but somehow no goals.

Former Bradford City youngster Cole Roberts came on for Zack Sangster at the break, and it was the ex-Bantam who opened the scoring for Eccleshill on the hour mark.

And the hosts made the points safe with 15 minutes to go, as the excellent Matthias Britton found the net.

In an NCEL Premier Division campaign where Eccleshill are the only Bradford District side in the league not challenging for promotion, the BD2 side were the only ones from the city to win on Saturday.

From a position of strength in third, Thackley have fallen away since the start of February, with their 2-0 weekend defeat at Rossington Main, where they missed a hatful of chances, leaving them sixth.

They are only two points outside of the play-offs still, but have played at least one more game than every other side in the top half.

That win for Rossington saw them overtake Albion Sports and shunt the Bradford outfit down to fifth, which is the final play-off spot.

Unlike Thackley, Albion had been in good form, winning four and drawing one of their previous five games, but they were second best on Saturday, losing 3-1 at Hallam, the prolific Robbie Fox grabbing the visitors’ goal.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Robbie Fox has scored plenty of vital goals for Albion this season, but his consolation at Hallam was sadly not one of them.Robbie Fox has scored plenty of vital goals for Albion this season, but his consolation at Hallam was sadly not one of them. (Image: Alex Daniel.)

Neither Silsden, who still harbour faint hopes of a top-five finish, nor second-placed Campion, were in action over the weekend.

It was a grim Saturday for our Bradford District sides in the North West Counties Football League First Division North.

Route One Rovers slipped down to fourth after a bruising 5-0 defeat at leaders St Helens, which saw Musa Jallow harshly sent off after being booked twice for alleged dives.

Despite their nightmare afternoon, Route One still hold a six-point buffer inside the play-off spots.

And Steeton were woeful at home to Daisy Hill, who leapfrogged them in the table with a 4-0 away win.

That horrendous defeat leaves the Chevrons just four points above the relegation zone.

Brighouse were not in action in the Northern Premier League East Division, so remain 16th, nine points clear of the drop.

Liversedge stay 13th after a solid 0-0 draw at home to play-off chasing North Ferriby.

In the NPL Premier Division, Guiseley did their promotion dreams the world of good, moving up to fifth with a brilliant 1-0 home win over leaders Radcliffe, Gabriel Johnson firing home a last-gasp winner.

Finally, a gripping game in National League North saw hosts Farsley Celtic lose 3-2 to high-flying Alfreton Town.

The defeat leaves the Celts looking over their shoulders, as they sit just six points above the relegation zone with nine games left to go this season.