It`s looking increasingly like a two-horse title race in the Blue Square North after leaders Fleetwood Town and neighbouring Southport both won again on Saturday, while most of the chasing pack slipped up.
Fleetwood enjoyed a relatively comfortable 3-1 Highbury win over Gloucester City in which they scored all their goals in the opening 37 minutes through Sean Clancy and a Nigh Rogan brace.
Lee Smith reduced the deficit from the penalty spot after 64 minutes, but the leaders held firm to remain three points ahead of `Port, who won 2-0 at Throstle Nest against struggling Farsley Celtic.
Steve Daly broke the deadlock by giving the visitors a crucial lead right on half time, and Ciaran Kilheeney doubled that with 17 minutes to go.
Hinckley United are third, but they left it very, very late to scramble a point from a 1-1 draw at second-bottom Vauxhall Motors.
Lee Furlong`s 7th minute effort looked as though it was going to earn Carl Macauley`s side a vital win, only for Andy Hall to pounce for a Knitters equaliser in stoppage time.
Droylsden are back in the top five after being the only one of the chasing pack to win on Saturday.
Shaun Whalley`s 69th minute goal eventually proved enough for the Bloods at Borough Park against Workington.
Eastwood Town in fifth went down to a 1-0 defeat at fourth-bottom Hyde United, whose David McNiven netted from the spot with just 5 minutes remaining at Ewen Fields.
That was bad news for third-bottom Gainsborough Trinity, who went down to a 2-0 defeat at Wetherby Road to rock-bottom Harrogate Town.
Craig James gave Town the lead after 20 minutes, but it didn`t look good for the hosts when they had Peter Knox sent-off just before half time.
However, 3 minutes after the break Ben Muirhead scored a second for the home side and that proved the end of the scoring.
To make matters worse for the bottom three, Solihull Moors added further misery to Corby Town`s play-off hopes with a comprehensive 3-0 Damson Park win in which Ryan Beswick bagged a brace after 41 and 67 minutes, with Junior English sandwiching the other on 54 minutes.
Stalybridge Celtic, with games in hand and with new boss Jim Harvey watching, went down to a 3-2 defeat at Ilkeston Town at the New Manor Ground.
Gary Ricketts opened the scoring, giving the Reds a 21st minute lead that Joe O`Neill equalised 2 minutes after half time.
Paul Dempsey restored the home side`s lead after 74 minutes only for Andrew Smart to level matters again 10 minutes from time. However, sub Jack Watts pounced for Ilkeston`s winner in injury-time.
Damian Reeves bagged a brace for AFC Telford United in their 3-0 New Bucks Head romp against Redditch United, whose Asa Charlton inadvertedly handed the hosts their other goal.
Nick Wellecombe gave Stafford Rangers a 19th minute lead at Croft Park against Blyth Spartans.
However, Robert Pell and Ian Graham turned the game in the home side`s favour with goals either side of the break. Tony Dinning earned Rangers a point on the hour-mark.
