A slip-up by Sheffield at the weekend was taken full advantage of by their closest rivals to blow the title race wide open.

The leaders were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw at home to seventeenth-placed Glasshoughton Welfare whilst Retford United went on a goal rampage, winning 5-2 at home to another promotion contender, Mickleover Sports.

Sheffield were even four minutes away from defeat as Stuart Dove gave Welfare a lead on 73 minutes, but David Wilkins brought relief to the Bright Finance Stadium with a late equaliser.

The Badgers, by contrast, took an early lead in their game as Ben Chambers found the net on four minutes.

Mark Blount, however, levelled from the penalty spot soon after before a 23rd minute Mick Godber strike gave Retford the advantage once again.

But, it was a case of D?j? vu as Blount tucked away another spot kick on the half-hour mark to make it 2-2.

Then, a strike from Oliver Chappell and another penalty, this time for Retford that was converted by Godber, gave the hosts a two-goal cushion at the interval.

The only further surprise was that there was only one more goal scored in the second period, Mark Ashton getting Retford?s fifth with fifteen minutes remaining.

It means the gap between the top two is now eight points with Retford having three games in hand and the two sides meet at the Bright Finance Stadium on Tuesday night.

Garforth Town took a tighter grip on third place in the promotion chase, meanwhile, as they travelled to bottom side Brodsworth Welfare and claimed a 4-0 victory thanks to goals from Chris Kamara, Jason St Juste, Ian Twitchen and Greg Kelly.

Simon Clifford's side have stormed up the table following a run that has seen them unbeaten so far this year.

There is now a five point gap between themselves and the chasing pack as the three sides below them failed to pick up maximum points.

Two of those teams played each other and Carlton Town replaced Sports in fifth with a goalless draw at home to fourth-placed Maltby Main.

Glapwell stay seventh after a 2-1 win at local rivals Sutton Town, Colin Cockerill?s 80th minute strike earning them the points after a Marc Sherlock penalty cancelled out the hosts? opener by Phil Massingham.

They are ahead of Selby Town on goal difference who kept their promotion hunt alive with a last-minute goal from Neil Towler to earn them a single-goal victory at home to Armthorpe Welfare.

At the bottom of the table, Brodsworth are looking more and more likely to remain the basement side as they are now nine points behind their closest rivals Shirebrook Town with nine games to play.

Shirebrook extended the gap with a 1-1 draw at home to Liversedge, Joe Naylor grabbing their equaliser halfway through the second period after John Flynn had given the visitors the lead.

Thackley remain ahead of Shirebrook on goal difference after they also picked up a point with a scoreless home draw over Hallam.

The only movement in the bottom half of the table saw Long Eaton United climb one place to fourteenth following a 2-2 home draw against Arnold Town with Michael Buckley earning them a point with nine minutes remaining.

The top two Division One sides both won as the race for that title also hots up.

Parkgate were 6-2 winners at Hall Road Rangers as they took their goal tally to 89 in 24 matches.

There was a brace each for Ryan Johnson and Brian Cusworth, with the latter now on 25 league goals for the season, whilst Matt Outram and Caine Cheetham also found the net.

Richard Tracey and Rhys Pindar were on the scoresheet for Rangers.

But, second placed Winterton Rangers are keeping firmly on Parkgate?s tail as they won 3-1 at home to Staveley Miners Welfare.

Two Rob Northen goals, one a penalty, and a Callum Dransfield strike meant the game was over as a contest after 54 minutes, with Ben Kistell grabbing a consolation for Staveley with sixteen minutes to go.

Rangers, therefore, remain four points behind Parkgate with a game in hand, and that game is to be played this midweek.

South Normanton Athletic turned round a recent dip in form with a comfortable 3-0 home win over local rivals Teversal.

Adam Newton and Kevin Mabon had them two-up after ten minutes before Brett Adams added the third in the second half to move the Shiners up into fourth.

Bottom side Rossington Main, meanwhile, picked up only their second away win of the season as they came away from Gedling Town with a 2-1 victory, Andrew Green and Chris Lees getting on the scoresheet for them.

Matthew Hill?s goal nineteen minutes from time earned Borrowash Victoria a 1-0 home win over Pontefract Collieries whilst AFC Emley were victorious by the same scoreline at Worsbrough Bridge.