THE premier division title race in the York Minster Engineering League was blown wide open on Saturday – with Old Malton St Mary’s the big beneficiaries – when champions Dunnington ended Riccall United’s 100 per cent record.
Dunnington ran out 4-2 winners, a result allowed St Mary’s and Huntington Rovers to pull further clear at the top, though Riccall’s games in hand mean the destiny of the title is still in their hands.
Old Malton kept their seven-point cushion at the top with a comfortable 5-0 victory at York RI.
Steve Baxter and Marcus Godsell bagged a brace apiece, with Scott Preston notching Saints’ fifth.
Elsewhere, a Joe Woof penalty and a Steve Jarvis strike gave Aviva a 2-0 victory over Terrington Glory.
In division one, Brooklyn, fielding several reserves due to injury absences, drew 1-1 at Pocklington to edge a point closer to second-placed Osbaldwick, who lost 3-1 to Church Fenton White Horse.
However, it was still more points dropped by the Ryedale side as, despite dominating, they needed an Andy Phillips goal to cancel out Tom Reay’s opener for struggling Pock.
Brooklyn started brightly but received a sucker punch as Reay’s effort from distance ricocheted off of the sliding Andrew Metcalfe and over Andrew Slaughter in goal.
They upped their performance after the break but faced a resolute defence.
Phillips’ had a chance to level when racing onto a through ball by sub Ryan Boyd but his touch was too heavy. But the same player made no mistake after gambling on Kristian Wilkinson’s flick-on. He spun and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper.
Brooklyn, with Richard Webster man of the match in defence, continued to press but could not find a winner Meanwhile, Malton & Norton stayed bottom after twice being pegged back by Hamilton Panthers.
Sam Hall put M&N ahead but Scott Milling levelled just before the interval. Simon Reeves restored the home side’s advantage shortly before they had a penalty claim turned down. But Mark Willoughby then continued his recent scoring run, hitting Panthers’ equaliser.
Division three leaders Sporting Knavesmire beat Stamford Bridge 3-0, Ryan Gothard, Jake Duckworth, Scott Backhouse and Mike Eddom the scorers.
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