ALBION Sports are still mired in trouble after they crashed and burned in Saturday’s Northern Counties East League Premier Division clash at Beverley Town.
The Bradford side lost the game 5-1 against their second-placed hosts, yet the afternoon started so brightly.
Albion ripped up the script by scoring through the prolific Nathan Cartman on 16 minutes.
But Beverley were incensed by what they felt was a foul in the build-up and they channelled that anger in style.
Andrew Norfolk and McCauley Snelgrove scored twice in the space of a minute to flip the game on its head.
With Norfolk hitting the upright with a volley moments later, Albion were rocking, but they made it to the break just 2-1 down.
It quickly went wrong in the second half, with Luka Suluburic adding a clever third goal for Beverley at the near post, while Albion lost their discipline a little, a sin-bin just after the hour mark hampering them further.
They survived that and were a little unlucky to lose so heavily in the end, with Beverley’s final two goals coming in second-half stoppage-time, courtesy of Suluburic’s penalty and Glen Sani’s effort with the last kick of the game.
Albion remain three points above the relegation zone, but could soon drop into it, given second-bottom Rossington Main have three games in hand on them.
Beverley’s win just about kept them in touching distance of leaders Liversedge, who remain eight points clear at the summit.
They fell behind early on at home to Barton Town courtesy of a Lewis Stephens strike.
But Finn Donovan equalised for Sedge just before the break and the hosts secured a 2-1 win thanks to Jack Stockdill’s winner on 57 minutes.
While Sedge look to be cruising towards promotion, Campion remain firmly in the hunt to go up as well.
They are four points off the play-off spots after digging deep for a 1-0 win at Horbury Town on Friday night, Ben Grech-Brooksbank scoring the only goal of the game after nine minutes by heading home Ewan Gregson’s superb cross.
But there was disappointment for Eccleshill United and Thackley on Saturday.
Both sides look well clear of danger but they are now stuck firmly in the bottom half.
Eccleshill were beaten 2-0 at promotion hopefuls Handsworth, while Thackley lost 1-0 on the road against Penistone Church.
The Dennyboys had their chances, but they failed to convert any of them, with their hosts overtaking them in the table with that narrow victory.
In Division One of the NCEL, Route One Rovers remain 11th but they were able to celebrate Zak Khan scoring his 50th goal in all competitions, as he scored in their 4-1 home win over Louth Town at Myra Shay.
Reece Thompson netted twice for Rovers, while their other goal came from Bubacary Conteh Samateh.
In the North West Counties Football League First Division North, Steeton are just four points off the play-offs after their 3-1 home win over rock-bottom Ashton Athletic.
In the Northern Premier League East Division, Jordan Carroll’s late equaliser stopped Silsden dropping into the relegation zone, as they drew 1-1 at fellow strugglers Lincoln United.
Brighouse Town are only three points clear of danger themselves, Harvey Booth’s red card compounding their 3-1 home defeat to Matlock Town.
Finally, Guiseley slipped to 13th in the NPL Premier Division after losing 1-0 at title hopefuls Warrington Rylands.
