Yorkshire Amateur's lead at the top of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division has been cut to four points going into Christmas after they were blown away by a whirlwind start for hosts Staveley Miners Welfare on Saturday.

Goals from Jahmal Riley, Matthew Parkin and a penalty from Joe Pugh saw the Trojans storm into a 3-0 lead in the opening eleven minutes of the game at Inkersall Road in an opening period dominated by the hosts.

The Ammers rallied in the second period but could only find one reply, Luke Sharry netting near the hour mark, so Staveley ran out 3-1 winners to make it seven games unbeaten and consolidate twelfth spot.

The other five top-six sides all closed the gap on the summit by three points as they all claimed victories in the final round of matches ahead of the festive period.

Second and third-placed Penistone Church and Knaresborough Town both won convincingly on their travels, with a Nathan Keightley brace added to by an own goal from Robert Marsh and strikes from Andrew Ring and Conor Glavin in Penistone's 5-0 defeat of Thackley.

Knaresborough were 3-0 up by the 24th minute at bottom side Goole AFC, Joshua Garbutt, Daniel Thirkell and William Lenehan scoring before Brad Walker added their fourth in the second period and Harry Thompson converted an injury-time penalty for the Vikings.

Richard Collier and Nash Connolly were the scorers for Hemsworth Miners Welfare who kept themselves in fourth position with a 2-0 win at Bottesford Town who drop to tenth.

Handsworth Parramore beat visitors Barton Town by the same scoreline, Joshua Nodder and Waide Fairhurst netting in quick succession midway through the second half, to remain fifth ahead of Bridlington Town who won 3-1 at home to Worksop Town.

Matthew Broadley's hat-trick claimed the victory for the Seasiders after Matthew Sykes' equaliser for Worksop had the scores level 1-1 at the interval.

Worksop fall to eighth, leapfrogged by Maltby Main who condemened hosts Albion Sports to their fifth straight defeat, a first-half Matthew Moore brace added to in the second period by Jonathan Hill and Jordan Turner in a 4-0 victory.

Eccleshill United have risen above Bottesford and Barton into ninth after a late rally at home to Athersley Recreation secured a 3-1 win.

Christopher Wood gave the visitors a seventeenth minute lead and that is how it stayed until Luke Harrop equalised on 72 and then Khurram Shazad and Jake Thompson made sure the Eagles took all three points.

Fraser Lancaster's 84th minute leveller made sure next-to-bottom Harrogate Railway Athletic took a point from their match at the side just above them Hall Road Rangers in a 1-1 draw that saw Reagan Waud score for the hosts after six minutes.

And, Liversedge climb to fifteenth following a single-goal victory over visitors Garforth Town, David Bordman with the decider after the hour mark.

Four sides, meanwhile, had a realistic chance of being the leaders of Division One at Christmas but it was Campion who held on to their place at the summit with a 3-2 home victory over Dronfield Town.

Daniel Wood had secured the away side an early lead but that was soon cancelled out by Ben Bodle and Jason Carney gave the hosts a 2-1 advantage in the 65th minute before Graham Hall made it 3-1 and Stuart Hall brought Dronfield back into the game with their second as injury time loomed.

Former leaders Winterton Rangers move back up into second spot, three points off the top, after their 2-0 defeat of visitors Nostell Miners Welfare, Tyla Bell with both of their goals, one in each half.

That made it four points in two games for Winterton who drew 2-2 at East Yorkshire Carnegie on Tuesday, the only NCEL match to take place in midweek, Bell's penalty and Elliot Broughton with the equaliser after Josh Walker's quick first-half brace had given Carnegie the perfect start.

Grimsby Borough drop to third as, despite a double from Jack Debnam, they went down 3-2 at Hallam who move up into fourth and are four points behind Campion with two games in hand.

Micah Bishop scored twice for the Sandygate side after Sam Smith had broken the deadlock on 26 minutes.

Goals from Oliver Grady and Alex Lill for Swallownest saw them defeat Selby Town 2-0 at Rotherham Road with the visiting Robins now down into fifth whilst the hosts keep themselves in tenth.

Worsbrough Bridge Athletic fall to sixth but had late goals from Jamie Austin and Liam Owen to thank for avoiding defeat as they drew 2-2 at home to bottom side FC Bolsover.

The visitors were just twelve minutes away from notching up only their second win of the season following a first-half brace from Joe Stacey.

Parkgate made it six wins in a row as a Brandon Bagley brace helped them to a 4-2 home win over AFC Emley, in a game that they trailed 2-1 going into the last twenty minutes.

There were also home victories for Shirebrook Town and Skegness Town, Sam Martin getting both of Shirebrook's goals in a 2-1 defeat of next-to-bottom Harworth Colliery whilst Joshua Morrall, Daniel Stevens and James Wroot scored for Skegness as they beat Armthorpe Welfare 3-1.

And, there were no goals at the TJs Travel Arena where Glasshoughton Welfare entertained Ollerton Town.

Finally, in the only other action to take place in midweek, Knaresborough Town crashed out of the West Riding County Cup as they went down 8-1 at home to Hallmark Security League side Barnoldswick Town in the quarter-finals on Tuesday night.

Then, on Wednesday, there was an all-NCEL tie in the last eight of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup, Sam Forster and Steven Hopewell netting for Maltby Main as they beat visitors Hallam 2-1 with Niall Smith getting on the scoresheet for the away side.

Photo: An aerial challenge during Saturday's Toolstation NCEL Division One 3-1 home victory for Skegness Town over Armthorpe Welfare. (Picture: Steve Pennock)