There were two games in Blue Square North on Monday night and both had significance in terms of the play-off picture.
The latest Tameside derby, this time between Droylsden and Stalybridge Celtic at the Butcher`s Arms, was especially important with both going for a top five finish.
Visiting Celtic came into the match with an injury-hit side and found themselves 3-0 down inside the opening 34 minutes.
Alex Meechan opened the scoring after 11 minutes, finishing a one-on-one with keeper Dave Carnell, and the saem player doubled the home side`s lead 14 minutes later.
Meechan got the final touch after some poor defending saw the ball eventually looping goalwards for the striker to poke home from close range.
Nine minutes later it looked all over for Celtic when Neal Prince forced a save from Carnell, only for the loose ball to be belted into the back of the net by Anton Brown.
Jody Banim pulled one back against one of his many former clubs on 63 minutes and in stoppage time he made the Bloods a little nervous when he scored direct from a free kick, but the home side held on to move level on points with third-placed Alfreton Town.
Hinckley United are another side looking to end the season in the top five, but were held at home by a Corby Town outfit who are probably now out of the reckoning.
The Knitters took the lead on 11 minutes when Alex Taylor's low cross was turned home from close range by Andy Gooding.
Corby were temporarily down to 10 men at the time with Paul Mayo off receiving treatment but even at full-strength there would have been little they could have done to prevent the goal.
But the Steelmen were on terms after 32 minutes as Mayo's corner was flicked on by Jason Lee and Leon Hibbert buried a far-post header.
Right at the end, Hinckley almost pinched it when substitute Danny Newton's low shot eluded Mark Osborn but held up in the mud and Corby were able to clear and ensure the draw which neither side particularly wanted.
