Goole AFC and Grimsby Borough were the teams celebrating at the end of a thrilling final day of a dramatic 2018/19 Toolstation NCEL league season on Saturday.The battle to avoid relegation from the Premier Division went to the last round of matches with two of the three teams in danger facing each other knowing the winner would stay up.
And, it was hosts Goole who were to prevail as they beat
Hall Road Rangers 2-1, a Carl Stewart double sandwiching a Josh Ward strike for the visitors, in a nerve-wracking encounter at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds.
Harrogate Railway Athletic join Rangers in the drop despite a 2-1 victory at
Staveley Miners Welfare, Albert Ibrahimi and Aaron Kitao with the Rail's goals whilst Steven Carty scored an equaliser for their hosts who end the season in seventh spot.
Elsewhere, champions
Worksop Town were presented with the Premier Division trophy after their 2-1 home win over
Eccleshill United, a victory that took the Tigers to the ninety-points mark.
Connor Brunt and Matthew Reay struck for Worksop in front of a crowd of 570 with Matthew Mathers pulling a goal back for the Eagles on 72 minutes.
Second-placed
Penistone Church finished their best ever campaign with a 3-0 home win over
Yorkshire Amateur, Jordan Coduri's hat-trick keeping them five points clear of
Bridlington Town whose 6-3 victory over visitors
Maltby Main confirmed third spot.
Joe McFadyen was a hat-trick hero for the Seasiders with Jake Day's brace and a second-half strike from Benn Lewis securing the win whilst Ross Duggan's opener was added to by a double from Steven Hopewell for Main who finish sixth.
Hemsworth Miners Welfare climbed above Yorkshire Amateur to end the season in fourth with a 1-0 home win against
Handsworth Parramore, a late Jason Yates penalty separating the sides.
The remaining four matches all saw victories for sides on their travels with two goals each for Lee Turner and Daniel Williams ensuring a 4-0 win for
Garforth Town at
Athersley Recreation.
Luke Robinson also netted twice as
Thackley beat hosts
Barton Town 3-1 and there were doubles for Eddie Church and Luke Aldrich in a 5-2 triumph for
Albion Sports at
Bottesford Town.
And, Conor Donoghue's early strike was enough for
Knaresborough Town in a single-goal win at
Liversedge.
The race for the Division One title could not have finished in more intriguing style as the top two faced each other to see who would become champions.
Grimsby Borough needed to win at home to leaders
Campion whose one point advantage meant that a draw would be enough to secure them the trophy.
And, it was Borough who had a narrow 1-0 lead by the interval through Lewis Bemrose before they took control of the game, Daniel Trott and Jack Debnam giving them a three-goal lead by the hour mark.
Andrew McCreadie struck to bring Campion back into the encounter on 82 but Caine Winfarrah quickly restored the home side's three-goal lead and, although Aiden Day converted a late penalty for Campion, a 4-2 home win for Borough saw them crowned as champions.
Hallam and
Winterton Rangers end the campaign in third and fourth but both concluded their seasons with away 1-0 defeats.
Gavin King netted as
Ollerton Town defeated Hallam whilst Jack Warwick scored for
FC Bolsover as they beat Winterton to move off the bottom of the table.
The wooden spoon goes to
Harworth Colliery who went down 2-1 at home to
AFC Emley, Thomas Mullen putting them ahead before Michael Starkey and Michael Bottomley turned the game around in the Pewits' favour in the second period.
There was a hat-trick for Jack Owen as fifth-placed
Nostell Miners Welfare won 5-2 at
Selby Town whilst
Dronfield Town,
Worsbrough Bridge Athletic and
Parkgate complete the top eight with final-day victories.
Samuel Bebbington, Antony Holmes and Matthew Ord were the goalscorers in Dronfield's 3-2 defeat of hosts
Glasshoughton Welfare, Worsbrough beat visitors
Armthorpe Welfare 4-2 thanks to strikes from Sam Corner, Kieran Hirst, Jack Mawson and Shaun Mundy whilst a 69th minute goal from Brandon Bagley earned Parkgate a 1-0 home win over
East Yorkshire Carnegie.
And,
Rossington Main came from behind to win 2-1 at home to
Swallownest to move up to fourteenth in the table, Lee Holmes and Iren Wilson with the goals in the second period.
Photo: Michael Bottomley beats the Harworth Colliery goalkeeper to the ball to score AFC Emley's winning goal in their final-day 2-1 away victory in Toolstation NCEL Division One on Saturday. (Picture: Mark Parsons)