Dringhouses look odds on to retain their Leeper Hare York and District Football League RESERVE 'A' title after their 2-1 win at second-placed Kartiers.

Nick Brown and Wayne Carter were on target for Dringhouses with Andy Burton replying for Kartiers.

However, Old Malton could yet make a serious title challenge if they win their three games in hand on Dringhouses.

They had little difficulty in overcoming Wigginton Black Horse 6-2 with goals from Nathan Milner (2), Seb Towse (2), Dave Bradshaw and Jamie Shepherd. Richard Gowland and Tim Hudson managed goals for Black Horse.

Paul Mills and Martin Wood put St John's College 2-0 up at Bishopthorpe before Greg FitzMaurice reduced the arrears from the penalty spot but the students held on to take the points.

Huntington and South Bank finished with honours even after an exciting 3-3 draw.

South Bank were two up at the break, courtesy of goals from Adam Cook and Dave Kettlewell. Ben Langford reduced the arrears for Huntington early in the second half, but Darryl Strickland restored South Bank's two-goal advantage.

Huntington refused to fold and a Mark Gambles goal brought them right back into the game to set up a grand finale in which Giles Brighton scored an equaliser for Huntington with a diving header deep into injury time.

Haxby Town could only muster nine men at the start of their home game with local rivals Wigginton Grasshoppers.

Despite two goals from Brendan Cooke, they paid the price, going down 4-2.

Dunnington got off to a whirlwind start at home to Pocklington with two goals apiece for Neil Martin and Ben Small inside the first 20 minutes.

Pocklington closed the floodgates but could only manage one goal in reply from Chris Tatterton, with 15 minutes remaining.

The top two sides in RESERVE 'B' were not in action but third-placed Rufforth came unstuck 5-1 at Haxby & Wigginton with all the goals coming in the first-half. Kevin Andrew and Steve Barnard netted two each and Craig Parker added a fifth for Haxby & Wigginton.

Boroughbridge are making a habit of saving their best play for the second half of their games. They were trailing 2-1 by half time, at home to Poppleton, after goals from Noel Edwards and Dave Bailey for Poppleton had been countered by Roy Lousley. Chris Strong made it 2-2 and then Adam Wix hit two more for Boroughbridge to win the game 4-2.

Bottom of the table Nestl Rowntree twice held the lead at Moor Lane before going down 4-3.

Brendan Welsh (penalty), James Reid, James Preston and Mike Greenwood were the Moor Lane marksmen.

Easingwold entertained Civil Service but neither side could find the net and both sides remain under the threat of relegation.

Copmanthorpe tightened their grip on the top of RESERVE 'C' with a 6-2 home win over Heworth. Alistair Hammerton hit two in the first five minutes to set them on their way and Andrew Manns added a third before half-time.

Jamie Allerton responded for Heworth to make a game of it but new signing Joel Smith bagged his first goal for Copmanthorpe at the re-start and goals from Matt Pearson and Callum McKay completed the Copmanthorpe scoring. Substitute Frazer Russell managed a second-half consolation for Heworth.

Stamford Bridge look favourites for promotion after goals from Pete Carpenter, Chris Parfree and Martin Smith (junior) gave them a 3-0 win over struggling Stillington.

White Horse moved up the table after recording their second successive win, a 2-1 victory over Norton, with goals from Andrew Jollands and Mark Barker.

LNER Builders had the misfortune to go down in the closing minutes of the game for the second week in succession.

After last week's defeat at White Horse they were undone this week at Fulford by an indirect free-kick four minutes from time when their goalkeeper was adjudged to have handled a back pass. Sean Cade managed to force the ball home to give Fulford a 2-1 win.

Earlier Chris Urwin had given Fulford a first half lead but Lee Jefferson had equalised for the builders.

Updated: 11:58 Wednesday, January 23, 2002