Williams rescues Rebels

April 19, 2009

FC UNITED had substitute Danny Williams to thank for keeping their hopes of squeezing into the UniBond premier division play-offs alive with a dramatic last minute winner at second-placed Ilkeston.

He fired in off the inside of the post to give the Rebels a 1-0 victory.

The win guarantees they'll still be in the running for a top-five spot when their league campaign reaches a nailbiting conclusion at the weekend with the visit of fellow promotion candidates Bradford Park Avenue.

It lifts FC up three places to third, where they head a cluster of five play-off hopefuls now separated by a single point.

But with three of those in hot pursuit of Karl Marginson's men - Bradford, Guiseley and Nantwich - all due in action again tomorrow, FC are almost certainly going to be faced with having to beat the visiting Yorkshiremen if they're to book a ticket to the knockout stages.

Meanwhile, Ashton United denied Eastwood the chance to clinch automatic promotion as champions by holding the leaders to a 2-2 draw at Hurst Cross.

The Robins threatened an upset when they led 2-0 through Gareth Richard and Iain Howard, but the visitors hit back to snatch a point.

Relegated Leigh Genesis crashed 2-0 at home to Matlock, while Witton Albion slipped nearer to joining them in going down as they could only draw 2-2 at Worksop.

Curzon Ashton rubber-stamped their place in the first division north play-offs with Matt Russell's stunning 25-yard strike giving them the victory they needed over visiting Garforth.

Vodkat League title-chasers New Mills seized on AFC Fylde's goalless draw with Newcastle to reduce their lead to just two points with Carlos Meakin scoring twice in the High Peak side's 4-0 rout of Ramsbottom.