NPL round-up | Hebburn and Hednesford drop points as basement side Workington pick up long-awaited win

The top two both dropped points, as Hebburn Town and Hednesford Town were forced to share the points against Warrington Rylands and Whitby Town respectively.

Hebburn had the lead for eight minutes at Gorsey Lane, but George Waring was on hand to quickly cancel out Liam Murray’s opener in the final 20 minutes.

It marked just the second time that the Hornets have dropped points since the start of November, while Rylands maintained their place in the top four, remaining six points behind their opponents atop the division.

Meanwhile, Whitby left Keys Park with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Hednesford, ending their two-game losing streak.

The dropped points allowed FC United of Manchester to make some ground on the top two. The gap is now just two points after Mark Beesley’s side left it late once more to down Prescot Cables.

Photo credit: Lewis McKenna

Charley Doyle cancelled out Adam Le Fondre’s opener in the first half, but as it looked like the points would be shared, Jay Fitzmartin, who netted a late winner last weekend at Rushall Olympic, did so again to send the home fans into raptures.

It’s back-to-back wins now for FC United, who will have a close eye on proceedings in midweek when the top two face off.

Elsewhere, Stockton Town kept their place in the top five, but will feel aggrieved that they weren’t able to put some distance between themselves and Bamber Bridge after Jamie Milligan’s side battled back from two goals down to take a point.

Jamie Allen led the fightback on the hour mark, with Ewan Bange completing it to score his 14th goal of the season and ensure that the Brig remain just a point adrift of the play-offs.

Gainsborough Trinity were unable to capitalise on dropped points from the sides above them as they fell to defeat at Leek Town, losing 1-0.

Adam Porter put the hosts ahead just before half-time, and Josh Brehaut’s side held out to win back-to-back league games for the first time since November, opening up a seven-point gap to the drop zone in the process.

Photo credit: Leek Town

The Holy Blues still have their play-off destiny in their own hands, but have lost ground on the top five this weekend. Russ Wilcox’s side are five points behind, albeit with two games in hand.

Towards the foot of the table, it was delight for Workington, who picked up only their fourth league win of the campaign against Ilkeston Town.

The Reds had drawn four of their last five heading into the weekend, but there wasn’t to be any late heartbreak as the league’s basement side held out following Steven Rigg’s effort on the stroke of half-time.

Workington are now seven points removed from safety, and will be hoping that this first win since November 8 may be enough to spark a survival charge.

One side that couldn’t end their barren winless run was Hyde United, though, as, for the third time in as many games under Michael Clegg, they drew, this time against fellow-strugglers Stocksbridge Park Steels.

The Tigers took a lead with 20 minutes left, but they weren’t able to hold on as Connor Smythe scored three minutes from time to rescue a point for Stocksbridge.

Hyde are now 14 games without a win, and eight of their last 11 matches have ended level. 

However, they can take joy from the fact that they leapfrogged Morpeth Town out of the drop zone with that point, given the Highwaymen weren’t in action following the postponement of their game at Cleethorpes Town.

In the game between two sides on two-game losing runs, it was Ashton United who picked up all three points, downing Warrington Town at Hurst Cross.

Jason Gilchrist poked home inside the first half to secure a return to winning ways, while the Yellows have now lost three on the bounce.

And at Nethermoor, nothing could separate Guiseley and Lancaster City as their encounter ended goalless.

Results - Saturday 7 February

• Ashton United 1-0 Warrington Town
• Bamber Bridge 2-2 Stockton Town
• FC United of Manchester 2-1 Prescot Cables
• Guiseley 0-0 Lancaster City
• Hednesford Town 0-0 Whitby Town
• Leek Town 1-0 Gainsborough Trinity
• Stocksbridge Park Steels 1-1 Hyde United
• Warrington Rylands 1-1 Hebburn Town
• Workington 1-0 Ilkeston Town

Check out the latest fixtures and results from across the NPL East Division, NPL Midlands Division and NPL West Division.