Campion's lead at the top of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division has grown whilst Parkgate are the new Division One leaders after the opening weekend of games in 2024 took place on Saturday afternoon.The Red & Blacks are now four points clear after they came from behind to win 2-1 at next-to-bottom
Maltby Main, Nicky Boshell's equaliser and Patrick Sykes' winner coming in the second half after Sam Ackroyd's 41st minute penalty had given the hosts the lead.
Second-placed
Emley AFC, meanwhile, drew 1-1 at
Knaresborough Town, Ruben Jerome rescuing a point with an 88th minute leveller to cancel out Danny Edwards' early opener for the home side.
Thackley consolidated third spot as Thomas Greaves' 54th minute strike secured a 1-0 home victory over
Eccleshill United, moving the Dennyboys four points clear of
Albion Sports who drew 2-2 with visitors
Penistone Church.
A Nathan Keightley brace had given the away side a 2-0 lead by the 53rd minute but a Robbie Fox spot kick and then an Aran Basi equaliser ensured the spoils were shared.
Rossington Main were 4-2 home winners against
Hallam to keep themselves in the play-off places, Paul Sherburn's double added to by one each from Jack Harrison and Manasse Kiange whilst the Countrymen's goals came from Iren Wilson and a Danny Buttle penalty.
Charlie Marshall's hat-trick helped
Garforth Town to a 4-2 home victory of their own, beating
Frickley Athletic to climb above Penistone into sixth.
Matthew Antcliff had given the Miners a ninth minute lead with Alhassane Keita and Richard Collier netting for Athletic who stay tenth.
The only other change in places in the Premier Division saw
Tadcaster Albion move up to fourteenth as Joseph Crosby's 76th minute decider secured a 1-0 victory to leapfrog opponents
Golcar United in the table.
Handsworth raced into a 3-0 lead by midway through the first half at home to
Bottesford Town, Leon Howarth's double sandwiching a Mitchell Dunne strike before the visitors staged a second-half comeback with two Danny Walker penalties and an 83rd minute Charlie Dunkerley equaliser in a 3-3 draw.
And,
Pickering Town were 2-1 home winners over
Silsden AFC with a late Omar Sanyang brace claiming the points after Casey Stewart had opened the scoring for the Cobbydalers in the 70th minute.
In Division One, Parkgate find themselves at the summit after their 4-0 defeat of visitors
Glasshoughton Welfare.
Brandon Potts struck twice for the Steelmen whilst there were also goals for Silas Valladolid-Collins and Ross Duggan as they took advantage of a loss for
Wakefield AFC to replace them as leaders.
Shirebrook Town won 3-0 at home to
Brigg Town to move up into second, behind Parkgate on goal difference but having played five games more, Nathan Watson's deadlock breaker added to by two goals in the last ten minutes by Kieren Watson.
Wakefield are third, two points behind the top two, Cameron Barnett with an equaliser for them but Daniel Hickey and Alex Clark ensured a 2-1 victory for visitors
Harrogate Railway Athletic who move up into tenth.
Home wins for
Retford United and
Beverley Town ensure they continue to complete the top five, Jake Champion's double, along with goals for Liam Owen, Joshua Nodder and Charlie Baird, claimed a 5-1 victory over seventh-placed
Horbury Town for United.
And, all the goals came in the final ten minutes for Beverley as they defeated
Yorkshire Amateur 3-0, Luka Suluburic ensuring the win after Benjamin Hinchliffe had opened the scoring.
Wombwell Town keep in touching distance of the play-off zone in sixth, a point behind Beverley, as a Kane Reece double helped them to a 3-1 home win against
Retford FC.
Staveley Miners Welfare climb to eighth after their 2-0 beating of visitors
Armthorpe Welfare, Jordan Claxton and George Colton Balogun on the scoresheet for the Trojans.
Armthorpe remain in the bottom three, along with
Swallownest and
Ollerton Town who were both beaten on their own patch.
James Woodhouse and Kenneth Tafireyi scored for
Athersley Recreation in their 2-0 victory at Swallownest whilst
Worsbrough Bridge Athletic were 4-2 winners at Ollerton.
Alex Hutchinson and Andrew Horbury made sure of the victory for the Briggers around the hour mark after the two sides had shared the opening four goals.
Two Division One matches fell victim to waterlogged pitches with
Louth Town's home clash with
Clay Cross Town and
Selby Town's trip to
Nostell Miners Welfare postponed.
Friday night's game in the Premier Division between
Barton Town and
Goole AFC was also called off due to the weather.
In midweek, Handsworth caused an upset in the Third Round of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup as they drew 0-0 with Sheffield before progressing at the expense of their Pitching In Northern Premier League opponents, winning 5-4 in the shoot-out.
But,
Tadcaster Albion's JCP Construction League Cup Second Round tie with
Silsden AFC suffered another postponement after flooding at the Brewers' So-Trak Ltd Stadium.
Photo: Knaresborough Town goalscorer Danny Edwards in action during his side's 1-1 home draw with Emley AFC in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division on Saturday. (Picture: Graham Finney Photography)