Only two points separate five teams who are chasing second spot in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division after the latest round of midweek matches.

With leaders Grimsby Borough almost set to be crowned as champions, the race is on for the runners-up position that could lead to promotion, with Sherwood Colliery becoming the latest side to occupy it in what is turning out to be a thrilling end to the season.

Late goals from Liam West and Jamie York saw them grab a 3-1 victory at Silsden AFC after Lewis Weaver's opener had been cancelled out for the hosts by Bradley Riley.

Colliery's upturn in form means they go above Garforth Town who drop to third having been without a game whilst Penistone Church and Winterton Rangers also closed the gap on the top two as they picked up three points.

Kieran Ryan netted in the 89th minute for more late drama as Church won 1-0 at Maltby Main whilst Rangers claimed their ninth successive victory, this time a 4-0 defeat of hosts Barton Town.

Ryan Thompson's early opener was added to in the game's final twenty minutes through a Josh Walker brace and a Steven Ridley penalty.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Athersley Recreation's finish in the relegation zone was confirmed as the basement side went down 4-1 at home to Goole AFC.

Mark Stuart scored for the Rec but only after Silas Valladolid-Collins and Mitchell Pattinson had given the visiting Vikings a 2-0 half-time lead and then Dylan Collington and Reece Kral added to their tally in the last ten minutes.

And, Knaresborough Town moved eleven points clear of danger as Danny Edwards and Sean Hunter secured them a 2-1 home win over AFC Mansfield with Jack Gibbs scoring an equaliser for the Bulls.

The top four all won in Division One, keeping Hallam six points clear at the top of the table with their 7-2 home demolition of Rainworth Miners Welfare.

They led 6-0 by just past the half-hour with two goals each from Iren Wilson and Liam Royles, and one each from Brandon Bradbury and Bradley Morton, before a George Simpson penalty got the Wrens off the mark before the interval.

Kieran Watson added a seventh in the second period and Simpson's second from the spot came with eight minutes remaining.

Second-placed North Ferriby won 4-0 at home to play-off chasing Rossington Main, Josh Whiteley's brace along with goals from Louis Kirk and Thomas Corner making sure their title challenge continues whilst Rossington remain fifth.

Harrogate Railway Athletic and Brigg Town are closer to claiming a play-off place in third and fourth, respectively, after wins with Marcus Day grabbing an 84th minute decider for Rail in a 2-1 victory at Dronfield Town.

Brigg found themselves 2-0 down after just four minutes at Selby Town, Harry Clapham and Charlie Clamp putting the Robins seemingly in control in their hunt for a top five finish, but Scott Phillips brought the visitors back level by midway through the opening period.

Owen Vincent then put Brigg ahead on 26 minutes and Liam Flanagan restored parity from the penalty spot in a remarkable opening half-hour.

Surprisingly, only one further goal was scored as Phillips completed his hat-trick and gave the Zebras three vital points in fourth whilst Selby remain seven points off the play-offs in eighth.

Retford FC missed out on a chance to narrow the gap with Rossington, they stay sixth and five points behind as they were beaten 3-0 at Worsbrough Bridge Athletic, Conor Glavin, Joshua Brown and Spenser Sheppard netting for the hosts who strengthen their hold on ninth place.

FC Humber United and Clipstone had varying fortunes as they try to get out of the relegation places with Humber drawing 3-3 at Glasshoughton Welfare and Clipstone beaten 2-0 at home by Nostell Miners Welfare.

Szymon Czubik scored two for Humber but James Cusworth grabbed an 80th minute equaliser for Welfare in a 3-3 draw that puts Humber five points from safety but with two games in hand.

Clipstone conceded through goals from Liam Owen and Nathan Hawkhead and their predicament looks worse as they are three points behind the team outside the bottom three, Swallownest, with three fewer matches left to play than Humber.

All of those fixtures were played on Tuesday night with Wednesday being an almost total wash-out with five of the six games - three in the Premier Division and two in Division One - postponed due to waterlogged pitches after heavy rain that had begun in mid-afternoon.

The only match to take place was the West Riding County Cup Semi-Final between Albion Sports and their visitors Liversedge but the Lions could not produce an upset as they were beaten 6-0 by their higher-ranked opponents.

Photo: Marcus Day celebrates scoring the winner for Harrogate Railway Athletic as a late double grabs them a 2-1 win at Dronfield Town to virtually seal a Toolstation NCEL Division One play-off place. (Picture: Craig Dinsdale)