TADCASTER Albion stole a march on their Northern Counties East League premier division title rivals with a 2-0 success at Glasshoughton.

The leaders sealed maximum points with goals from Calum Ward and David Brown, valuable strikes considering that the four nearest pursuers of the pace-setters were not in action.

That point was not lost on Albion boss Paul Marshall. He said: "It wasn't the prettiest of performances but it was a good three points.

"It's always better to be going eight points clear with the rest of your rivals not playing and now having to win their games. It puts pressure on our rivals having to squeeze in more games and win them."

Ward fired the Brewers ahead just before half-time neatly hooking home a shot after his initial shot was blocked.

The points were then sealed seven minutes from time with a crisp finish from Brown, who had earlier missed a good opportunity.

Elsewhere in the NCEL top tier Pickering Town arguably wished they had not fixed up a re-arranged game against Albion Sports.

The original fixture against Shaw Lane Aquaforce was KO’d because of the Shaw Lane’s FA Vase commitments, so instead Albion Sports made the trip to the Recreation Ground.

But it proved to be home woe for the Pikes who finished on the wrong end of a five-goal feats. Twice they pegged back Albion leads through Louis Taylor and Ryan Cooper each side of half-time.

But 11 minutes from time Albion spiked the Pikes’ run of four consecutive wins with a points-clincher from Aaron Bassey.

In the NCEL first division, Selby Town ceded a maximum haul to Pontefract Collieries, the hosts unable to counter three unanswered goals in nine first half minutes by Ponty.

Knaresborough Town’s trip to to Dronfield was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Another iced-off casualty was Scarborough Athletic’s visit to AFC Farsley in the Evo-Stik League first division north, but Harrogate Railway revelled in a 2-1 triumph at Lancashire outfit Bamber Bridge. On target for The Rail were Fatlum Ibrahami, whose opener was wiped out by a Bridge raider before Stephen Bromley struck what proved to be the winner in the 33rd minute.

There was an away-day boost too for Harrogate Town. They returned from their Conference North excursion to Solihull Motors with a 1-0 conquest – the decisive lone goal pilfered by Andy Gascoigne in first-half stoppage time.

Town’s first win at the Midlands-based club in more than seven years depended on a resilient rearguard display expertly marshalled by former York City kingpin David McGurk.