Non-league round-up: Hyde ease past Boston

 Source: MEN

 Hyde boss Gary Lowe insisted they and neighbours Stalybridge Celtic can make it a straight fight between themselves for the Blue Square Bet North title after the Tameside pair moved further clear at the top with identical 2-0 victories.

Lowe’s table-topping Tigers maintained their two-point lead over their Bower Fold foes with goals by Shelton Payne (48 minutes) and Danny Broadbent (70) securing them a fourth successive win as they triumphed over Boston in Lincolnshire.

And Jim Harvey’s similarly slick Celts are now a massive 11 points ahead of third-placed Gainsborough after they comfortably saw off nine-man Histon with Phil Marsh scoring twice to sink the Cambridgeshire visitors.

Lowe, whose resurgent Hyde side can open up a five-point gap by winning at Hinckley tonight, said: “We’re delighted to have come away from a tough place with another victory and clean-sheet.

“It’s also good to see the likes of Gainsborough and Guiseley both dropping points.

“Stalybridge and ourselves now have a nice little cushion and, who knows, it could be between just the two of us all the way.”

Meanwhile, Altrincham missed a chance to climb into the play-off places and instead drop two spots to eighth after crashing to a 3-0 defeat at Worcester.

The Robins, who were without manager Lee Sinnott due to a family bereavement, were second-best for long periods of the game.

But things could have been so different had their 16-goal top scorer Damian Reeves not fluffed an early scoring opportunity.

Droylsden moved level on points with Alty in ninth but needed an 89th minute Danny Rowe equaliser to rescue a 1-1 draw at Vauxhall Motors.

Managerless Stockport suffered further Blue Square Bet Premier heartache as they were beaten 2-1 at Ebbsfleet. County, making their first league appearance under caretaker boss Willie McStay in the wake of Didi Hamann’s exit, looked to be on their way to a vital win after skipper Nick Chadwick had put them ahead from the penalty spot.

But two goals in the final ten minutes saw County lose again.

FC United stepped up their Evo-Stik Premier promotion challenge with Astley Mulholland’s quickfire brace giving them a 2-0 victory at Mickleover.

The former Flixton and Altrincham striker struck twice in two minutes midway through the first-half to ensure the Rebels kept up their chase on the leading pack. Leaders Northwich preserved their three-point advantage at the top of the table with Tom Field hitting two in their 3-0 romp at Rushall.

Third-placed Chorley lost ground in being held to a goalless draw by visiting Stocksbridge, while Ashton United lost 1-0 at Chasetown. Curzon Ashton returned to the top of the Evo-Stik North, and stretched their unbeaten start to 15 games by beating Durham 2-0 at the Tameside Stadium.

Jon Robinson was Ramsbottom’s match-winner as they pipped Runcorn Linnets 2-1 to stay tucked in behind NWCL frontrunners Runcorn Town.