ALBION Sports bounced back well from their weekend defeat at Hallam with a vital 2-1 home win over Frickley Athletic last night.

The result moves the Bradford side up to fourth in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, above Rossington Main, who did not have a midweek game.

The champions will be promoted automatically, while second to fifth fight it out in the play-offs.

Last night’s victory at Horsfall, sealed by a brace from the prolific Robbie Fox, means Albion are now five points clear of their sixth-placed Bradford rivals.

They also crucially have two games in hand on the Dennyboys, which gives them a further buffer inside that top five.

Mid-table Frickley had the first chance last night after only six minutes, but fired well off target from a great position on the edge of the box.

Instead it was Albion who took the lead just after the quarter-hour mark, after a Frickley player was penalised for a handball in his own box.

Fox tucked away the penalty to put his side in front, and he almost turned provider on 38 minutes, with his cross to the back post almost headed home, only for the visiting keeper to make a good save.

The away side had appeals for a penalty turned away just before the break, with their No.11 instead booked for diving.

Albion’s lead remained precarious, but they roared out of the blocks at the start of the second half, with the visiting defenders forced to bravely block strikes from both Ellis Wade and Ash Flynn.

The hosts made it 2-0 just before the hour mark though, when Fox struck a low and hard effort from just outside the box which the Frickley keeper could not get a strong enough hand to on its way into the net.

Albion saw the game out comfortably thereafter, as their play-off dreams took one step closer to reality.

Eccleshill United’s only dream is to avoid relegation from the division, but they are inching their way towards safety.

They backed up a crucial 2-0 win over relegation rivals Goole last Saturday, with an excellent point from a 2-2 draw at home to play-off chasing Penistone Church last night.

Matthias Britton gave Eccleshill the lead on 42 minutes, only for Penistone to hit back and take the lead with a quarter of an hour remaining.

But the Eagles were not to be defeated, and former Bantams youngster Cole Roberts sent the crowd in BD2 wild with his equaliser on 88 minutes.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Former Bantams talent Cole Roberts (centre) scored what could be a vital late equaliser for Eccleshill last night.Former Bantams talent Cole Roberts (centre) scored what could be a vital late equaliser for Eccleshill last night. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

The result moves Eccleshill seven points clear of the sole relegation place in the division, though rock-bottom Maltby Main do have a game in hand over them.

Thackley’s game at Hallam on Tuesday was called off due to a waterlogged pitch, and Route One Rovers were probably wishing the same fate had befallen them.

They remain just inside the play-off spots in the North West Counties Football League First Division North, but their position became ever more precarious after they were thumped 5-2 at promotion rivals Ashton Town in midweek.

Anees Younis and Awais Khan scored the Bradford side’s goals on a grim night for them.

Finally, Farsley Celtic are just five points clear of the National League North relegation zone, with their poor run of form continuing with a 2-0 home defeat to Warrington Town on Tuesday night.