PICKERING Town closed the gap to the Northern Counties East League premier division leaders with a 5-0 demolition of Parkgate.

With top side Cleethorpes Town in FA Vase fifth round action – beating Atherton Collieries 3-2 – the second-placed Pikes cut the deficit to the Owls to eight points with another game still in hand.

Paul Marshall's hosts cruised into a 3-0 half-time lead at Mill Lane, with Ryan Cooper opening the scoring in the 22nd minute before Joe Danby (30) and Ryan Blott (33) effectively ended the contest.

Within a minute of the restart, Cooper added his second and Joe Dale capped things off 19 minutes from time with the home side's fifth.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Harrogate Town’s unbeaten start to 2017 came to an abrupt end as Gainsborough Trinity ran out 3-1 winners at The CNG Stadium.

Lloyd Kerry put the hosts ahead in the 22nd minute but that was as good as it got for Simon Weaver's men as Trinity hit back with three unanswered goals.

In Evo-Stik first division north, Scarborough Athletic netted a 2-1 home triumph over Ossett Albion with goals from Jacob Hazel and Cameron Murray.