A four-figure crowd watched the top two clash in the NCEL Premier Division on Saturday as hosts Hallam closed the gap on leaders Silsden AFC to five points with a 5-1 victory.

The Countrymen roared into a four goal lead by the interval in a spectacular first half for them that included two goals from Janusz Lipka and one each from Danny South and Leon Howarth.

Any hope of a revival after the interval for Silsden was quickly extinguished as Leon Howarth added a fifth although the Cobbydalers did claim a 56th minute consolation through Jake Maltby in front of the division's highest attendance of the season at 1,056.

Third-placed Golcar United have moved to within six points of the summit with a game in hand after their 5-2 win at basement side Goole AFC.

A remarkable first period saw four penalties awarded with three converted, James Eyles and Gavin Allott for the hosting Vikings whilst George Doyle also dispatched a spot kick for the away side.

Samuel Pashley had opened the scoring in open play for Golcar so it was 2-2 at the break before goals from Callum Petch, Alfie Wilkinson and Oliver Russon in the second half ensured the visitors took the points.

Thackley are up to fourth as Slater Barnes and Ben Grech-Brooksbank netted in a 2-0 home win over Campion, going above Albion Sports who went down 4-1 at Rossington Main.

Emmerson Cox got the Lions' only goal whilst there was a double from William Sutton and further strikes from Grey Young and Oliver Nowak as the hosts picked up a win that sees them climb to twelfth.

Beverley Town are now level on points with Sports, just outside the play-off zone, after Elliott Andrew's 77th minute penalty ensured a 1-1 draw at Penistone Church after Samuel Scrivens had given the hosts the lead early in the second period.

And, Omar Sanyang and Matthew Bowman pounced for seventh placed Pickering Town as their 2-0 home victory against Barton Town sees them close the gap with the top five to four points.

At the foot of the table, Goole remain twelve points away from safety and are beginning to run out of games as they have only six fixtures left to play.

Next-to-bottom Winterton Rangers also tasted defeat, a 2-0 loss at Eccleshill United, courtesy of a Matthias Britton first half double, and they stay ten points behind the side both they and Goole are chasing, Frickley Athletic, in the race for survival.

Frickley could not put any further daylight between themselves and the relegation zone as they were beaten 3-0 at Knaresborough Town, Jack Dyche's brace added to by Daniel McDaid, and they will be hoping they have already done enough to avoid being dragged underneath the dotted line.

Elsewhere, Sam Eckhardt, Harry Day and Jacob Pearson were the scorers for Parkgate as they defeated visitors Bottesford Town 3-0 whilst it was 1-1 between Handsworth and Tadcaster Albion.

Hayden Habetz had put the visiting Brewers ahead in the tenth minute before parity was restored for the Ambers before the half-hour mark through Alfie Dodsworth.

Horbury Town maintained their eight point lead at the top of Division One as they comfortably beat Dronfield Town 6-0 at the Pulse Hire Ltd Stadium.

Joseph Angell's hat-trick, Jack Leach's late double and a goal from Abdulrahman Asamoah saw them canter to the victory.

The defeat sees Dronfield drop into the bottom three on goal difference, replacing Nostell Miners Welfare who move up out of danger despite having a free Saturday.

Second placed Wakefield AFC won 4-0 at basement side Yorkshire Amateur, Romario Dunne and Kelan Swales giving them a two goal advantage by the interval that was then added to by Kiyani Clayton and Shay Evans-Booth.

Wombwell Town let a 3-1 lead slip in the last quarter-of-an-hour to pick up a point in a 3-3 home draw with Swallownest and they are now eleven points behind Horbury in third.

But, like Wakefield, they have four games in hand of the top side so they still have a major say in the race for the title.

Cian Guest, Jordan Kershaw and Liam Owen had seemingly given them the victory with Alex Wonham scoring for the visitors but Billy Stafford popped up with a late double to ensure that honours were even.

Only five points now separate fourth placed Brigg Town and seventh placed Ilkley Town as the chase for the play-offs tightens up.

Brigg went down 2-0 at Maltby Main, Ashley Flynn with a goal in each half for the Miners who jump up into ninth, whilst Dearne & District who began the day in fifth, went down to a 1-0 loss at Ilkley in a big game in the chase for a top five finish.

Eliel Maville-Anku got the vital strike in the 34th minute and Dreane drop down into sixth, replaced in fifth by Worsbrough Bridge Athletic who won 3-0 at home to South Leeds.

Harry Spooner and Keelan Grist had them two up within the opening eleven minutes and Spooner's second made sure of the victory with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.

A hat-trick for Desmond Okoro helped Harrogate Railway Athletic to a 5-0 home win over Glasshoughton Welfare whilst Liam Love struck twice for Selby Town as they beat visitors Armthorpe Welfare 4-1.

And, Dean McCarthy equalised for next-to-bottom Appleby Frodingham in a 1-1 draw at Shelley following Akram Lasalire's opener for the hosts.

Photo: Golcar United's Callum Petch celebrates putting his side ahead during their 5-2 victory at Goole AFC in the NCEL Premier Division on Saturday. (Picture: Thomas Crabb)