PICKERING Town could not take advantage of scoring an early goal at home to Thackley in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

The Pikes, who were second in the table, went ahead via George Bissett in just the second minute, but were held to a draw after Mike Garrod equalised for their third-placed visitors from Bradford in the 57th minute.

Both drop one place in the table after Bridlington Town won 2-1 at Retford United, courtesy of two goals in the opening six minutes.

Hosts Harrogate Railway Athletic, who are 16th, defeated struggling Armthorpe Welfare 2-1.

Jules Gabbiadini stole possession and fired home from 12 yards to put The Rail ahead in the eighth minute, but needed Morris to head off the line to keep that lead before Stephen Bromley's header made it 2-0 in the 40th minute after good work down the right by David Brown.

A header back to his keeper by Sam Denton gifted Welfare a way back into the game in the 53rd minute, Darren Mansaram nipping in to score, but, despite having less possession after that, Athletic had the clearer opportunities, with both Brown and Chris Ovington squandering good opportunities.

Substitute Paul Beesley almost made it 3-1 but it needed a blistering Welfare shot to come off a post to enable The Rail to make it four wins from five in the league.

In Division One, Knaresborough Town, despite dominating at Shirebrook Town, needed a Fraser Lancaster strike in the 90th minute to give them a 2-1 victory.

Dan Dekanski, standing in for Jack Rushworth in Borough's goal, made a fine save to keep the game scoreless in the first half, and the visitors took the lead seven minutes after the interval when William Lenehan headed in Brad Walker's corner kick.

Jonty Maullin could have made it 2-0 but instead it was 1-1 in the 82nd minute when Mitchell Dunne turned the ball home at the far post when three defenders failed to cut out a cross from the right.

Walker's pass then set up Lancaster – returning after three months out injured – for the winner from six yards.

Knaresborough climbed a place to seventh on the back of that win and are just outside the play-offs but ninth-placed Selby Town lost 3-1 at home to 13th-placed Yorkshire Amateur, despite taking an eighth-minute lead via Calum Ward.

Joel Hughes equalised from the spot two minutes later, and the Ammers took charge with goals by Adam Shaw and T'nique Fishley in the 33rd and 34th minutes.

In Evo-Stik Division One North, fifth-placed Scarborough Athletic almost made a dream start as they were awarded a first-minute penalty but Brighouse Town’s keeper Tom Taylor saved the spot-kick from former Guiseley player Adam Bolder.

Billy Logan, who left Pickering Town late last week after scoring nine goals for them, put the Seadogs ahead in the 27th minute at eighth-placed Brighouse.

However, the home side snatched a point via an equaliser by Devonte Morton in the 88th minute.

Harrogate Town, tenth in Vanarama National League North, had to settle for a point from a 2-2 draw at the team immediately below them in the table, FC United of Manchester.

In front of a crowd of 2,367, Tom Platt headed Harrogate into the lead after just three minutes, Jason Gilchrist equalising 23 minutes later.

New signing Kuda Muskwe then made it 2-1 to the visitors on his debut just two minutes after the break, but FC United responded again as George Thomson fired home with 15 minutes left.