CONFERENCE: Midweek Round-Up

Another victory for Halifax has taken them into second place in the Nationwide Conference, as goals from Martin Foster, Dean Howell and Lewis Killeen gave them a 3-0 win over Gravesend & Northfleet on Tuesday night.

Woking are still level on points with the Shaymen following their 1-0 win at Burton Albion, which came courtesy of a Stephen Evans header ten minutes into the second half. The Cards have now gone ten games unbeaten in the Conference and are undoubtedly the form team in the division.

Aldershot saw both Halifax and Woking move above them in the table following their goalless draw at Morecambe. The Shots are only behind their closest play-off rivals on goal difference, but have played two games more.

Hereford remain well placed in the chasing pack but were disappointed to come away from Tamworth with just a point following their 2-2 draw.

The Lambs took an early lead through Bob Taylor, but Danny Williams levelled before half-time and Tamika Mkandawire put the Bulls ahead six minutes into the second half, as Tamworth struggled to hold the visitors after Adie Smith's 45th-minute sending off. But player-boss Mark Cooper scored an 82nd-minute free-kick to deny The Bulls victory and help his own team's fight to stay out of the relegation scrap.

Carlisle finally recorded their first Conference victory of 2005 with a 3-0 win over bottom club Leigh RMI, boosting manager Paul Simpson's hopes of reclaiming a top-five place for the end of the season.

Karl Hawley, Chris Lumsdon and Peter Murphy scored the goals that gave the Cumbrians their first success in ten matches, moving them up to ninth position, and Simpson said afterwards: "As a squad we have the belief that we can get in the play-offs. In everybody's eyes it was a no-win situation because we were expected to turn up and turn them over."