Albion Sports and Eccleshill United humbled and struggling

Niall Heaton (yellow) scored the hollowest of consolations for Albion in their damaging 6-1 defeat to Liversedge on Saturday. <i>(Image: Alex Daniel)</i>
Niall Heaton (yellow) scored the hollowest of consolations for Albion in their damaging 6-1 defeat to Liversedge on Saturday. (Image: Alex Daniel)
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ALBION Sports are just a point clear of the Northern Counties East League relegation zone after their grim 6-1 home defeat to runaway leaders Liversedge on Saturday.

The bottom two are set to go down and with those two clashing at the weekend, something had to give.

But adrift basement boys Wombwell Town got thumped 3-0 at Rossington Main, which was bad news for Albion.

With Rossington having three games in hand on the Bradford side, as well as now being just a point behind them, the men from Myra Shay look to be in serious trouble.

Kelan Swales and George Green scored at the start of each half on Saturday to give Sedge a 2-0 lead, before goals from Finn Donovan and Lewis Barlow made the game safe.

Albion at least hoped they had had the last word when Niall Heaton scored a consolation with 10 minutes to go.

But there was still time for the visitors to inflict more pain, as substitute James Clark netted twice for them at the death.

Sedge continue their march towards the title, while Campion look increasingly likely to finish inside the play-offs.

They leapt up to third on Saturday, after a 3-0 win at Bottesford Town.

Paddy Sykes opened the scoring right before the interval, before the Bradford side made the game safe with goals early in the second half from Shay Muirhead and Ewan Gregson.

Thackley and Eccleshill United are down in 13th and 15th respectively and while there are still several sides below them, they could do with a couple more wins to guarantee safety.

Both lost at the weekend, Thackley beaten 1-0 at home against Pickering Town despite largely dominating proceedings, while Eccleshill were thumped 4-0 at Horbury Town.

In Division One of the NCEL, play-off chasing Route One Rovers won 1-0 at Brigg Town, in a game marred by alleged racist abuse aimed at the Bradford side’s players and coaching staff.

Reece Thompson scored the only goal in Rovers' win, but the result paled into insignificance in many ways. (Image: Alex Daniel)

Another Step 10 league is the North West Counties Football League First Division North, where mid-table Steeton produced an astonishing comeback on Saturday.

Losing 4-0 at home to title hopefuls Bacup Borough, they rallied to within a goal, only to see Joe Edmonds sent off.

But the 10 men were not to be denied, Josh Coe completing his hat-trick with the equaliser that secured a 4-4 draw.

With relegation rivals Silsden securing a shock 1-0 win at high-flying Bradford (Park Avenue), Brighouse Town really needed a victory at home to Garforth Town on Saturday.

But they didn’t get it, Sam Pashley’s late dismissal the icing on the cake of a last-gasp 2-1 defeat that leaves them two points from safety.

Guiseley are probably out of the running to reach the play-offs now in the NPL Premier Division, but they impressed at the weekend, thumping ninth-placed Warrington Town 4-0 at Nethermoor.

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