PICKERING Town came up well short in their top-two clash at Cleethorpes Town in the Premier Division of the Toolstation Northern Counties East League.

The Pikes were already trailing 4-0 at the Buildbase FA Vase semi-finalists when Ryan Cooper got their 73rd-minute consolation goal.

A crowd of 348 watched the action at the Bradley Community Stadium, with the hosts' victory extending their lead over Town to five points with a game in hand.

All of the home side's goals came in a 15-minute period at the start of the second half, courtesy of Jonathan Oglesby, Liam Davis and a Brody Robertson brace.

The other three sides in the top five – Bridlington Town, Thackley and Handsworth Parramore – all won.

Harrogate Railway Athletic's visit to 11th-placed Worksop Town attracted the second-best crowd of the day in the division, with 299 watching the home side triumph 5-0.

Sam Weston scored early and late (fifth minute and 87th), with others coming from Kyle Jordan (38, penalty), Adam Scott (45) and Mitcham Husbands (71).

Knaresborough Town, just outside the Division One play-off places in seventh, stayed there despite a 3-0 home win over second-from-bottom Westella & Willerby.

Harry Brown (23 minutes), Sam Cook (46) and Colin Heath (84) were on target for the hosts, while Selby Town, who are 12th, needed a late goal by Sam Cable to secure a 2-2 draw at home to ninth-placed Glasshoughton Welfare.

Josh Marley put the visitors ahead in the 28th minute, Callum Terrell equalising in the 59th minute before Ryan Poskett put the Welfare men in front again in the 82nd minute.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Town narrowed the gap on home side Darlington 1883 to a point in Vanarama National League North after beating them 3-2.

Darlington, who are now four points outside the play-off places in seventh, had Leon Scott dismissed in the 18th minute for a lunge on Lloyd Kerry.

But it took Town until the 50th minute to take the lead at Blackwell Meadows, with Simon Ainge converting Joe Colbeck's cross.

The advantage lasted only two minutes for ninth-placed Town, however, as Steven Thompson pulled the ten men level, only for Kerry to restore the visitors' lead with a neat finish in the 76th minute.

Ainge got his second on 83 minutes to potentially seal the win but Liam Hardy's goal four minutes later made for a nervy finale.

Tadcaster Albion's Evo-Stik Division One North match at Kendal Town was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.