THE first division title race is hotting up in the newitts.com Beckett League with Wombleton Wanderers and Heslerton pulling away from the rest.

Third-placed Kirkbymoorside reserves lost to Wombleton and fourth-placed Thornton-le-Dale fell to Sinnington, who leapfrogged both of them into third.

Meanwhile, Duncombe Park moved back to the top of the second division after winning 6-1 at Union Rovers reserves.

Wombleton were back to their best at Kirkbymoorside reserves, taking a four-goal first-half lead en route to a 5-1 win.

Luke McLaren opened the scoring after a great move involving Josh Tateson and Jake Dennison.

Luke Tateson then beat Eddie Strickland to lay the ball to playmaker Jordan Rivis, a former Moorsider, who found McLaren to get his second.

Tom Ellis got the third with a neat finish after good work by Luke Tateson and Dennison, before a Rivis cross saw Jake Dennison bravely head home.

The Moorsiders came out quicker in the second half with substitute Jack Dowson scoring from their only real chance of the game.

But man-of-the-match McLaren fired in to complete his hat-trick and restore Wombleton’s four-goal advantage.

Heslerton beat Union Rovers 4-0 to stretch their winning run to eight matches.

The game started at a terrific pace, with Heslerton gradually getting on top with some very good football.

The opener arrived after 20 minutes as Tom Harrison lofted a free-kick into the area, Robbie Preston guided the ball goalwards and Mikey Brown popped up to stab it home.

Within two minutes, another Harrison ball into the box saw Preston do well to keep it in play and set up James Webb who drilled home.

Union had a good spell before half-time but Heslerton keeper Gareth Driver pulled off a couple of impressive saves.

Heslerton then got well on top.

After 55 minutes, Simon Oxendale played Webb through. His shot was saved by Ian Fraser but Joe Schofield followed up to fire the ball in.

Then man-of-the-match Brown met a Webb corner at the back post to head home.

Union pulled a goal back through a penalty by their man of the match, striker Dan Simpson, but Heslerton responded superbly as Preston got on the end of another Harrison ball to nod in.

Heslerton are now just six points behind the leaders with a game in hand.

Sinnington’s 2-1 win over Thornton was hard-fought in an end-to-end game of few chances.

Thornton lost defenders Paul Simpson and Craig Barnes to knee injuries either side of half-time, after which Sinnington took the lead with an own goal by Gary Parker.

Simon King equalised after 70 minutes with a long-range shot, but 10 minutes from time Dave Wilkinson scored a breakaway goal to win it.

Man-of-the-match Paul Harland, Will Sanders and Jon Mitchell stood out for Sinnington, likewise Simon King and Dan Russell for Thornton.

Rosedale completed a double over Ryedale Sports Club with a 5-0 away win.

Man-of-the-match Aaron Wells gave them an early lead and second-half followed from Wells again, with a header following a Sam Knowles corner, Sam Knowles, striker San Newman and substitute Jonathan Seller, returning after a lengthy injury.

Lewis Danby impressed in midfield for Ryedale.

In the only division two game, Duncombe Park cruised into a four-goal first-half lead through Sean Wilson, Tommy Garbutt, and a Corey Taylor brace.

Union Rovers one back through Anthony Taylor after half-time but Christian Ardisonne struck back and David Elkington scored a fine individual goal to seal victory.

Jack Young, playing in the centre of midfield, was Duncombe’s top performer.

Centre-back James Langthorne, in his first full game after serious injury, was Union’s man of the match.