PICKERING Town moved up to fourth in the league table after back-to-back away wins over Bottesford Town and Thackley.

Saturday’s visit to Bottesford was the first ever meeting between the two sides and the game was an end to end affair.

The Pikes almost took a fourth minute lead when a Joe Danby free kick found Ryan Blott who set-up Nathan Kamara to shoot wide from eight yards out.

The home side came more and more into the game with Josh Nichol and Danny Boulton both going close.

Boulton was cautioned after 13 minutes for a shocking late tackle

The Pikes took the lead after 24 minutes when a Danby corner found skipper Niall Tilsley who lost his marker and coolly slotted the ball into the net. Within a minute, Boulton had the ball in the net for Bottesford but the 'goal' was disallowed for offside.

Disaster struck for the Pikes in the 28th minute when referee Kevin Saundby sent off Nathan Kamara for violent conduct.

The last fifteen minutes of the first half saw the Pikes struggling to adjust to having just ten men.

Oliver Donald (twice) and Nichol both came close to scoring an equalizer.

The game erupted in the 35th minute when a melee broke out following a Tilsley tackle on a home player.

Referee Saundby issued cautions to Donald and Lee Ridley (Bottesford), and Danny Ingram (Pikes).

Although the home side were on top for much of the second half, they failed to take advantage of the extra man.

They were perhaps unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty after 62 minutes when Pikes centreback Matty Turnbull appeared to push Louis Grant in the penalty area. Grant also hit the woodwork six minutes later.

Ryan Cooper doubled the Pikes' lead after 76 minutes following a quick break from Blott and a pass from Nick Thompson.

Substitute Lewis Taylor spotted Bottesford goalkeeper Arron Busby off his line but his audacious 50 yard lob landed on top of the nettin,.

A minute from time, Ged Dalton broke clear down the Pikes' left wing and scored with a right foot shot from 15 yards to seal a comfortable three goal victory and put a major dent into Bottesford’s promotion ambitions.

Pikes (V Bottesford): Wells, Ingram, Danby, Chipps, Turnbull, Tilsley, Thompson (Taylor 78), Cooper (Gabbiadini 82), Blott (Dalton 88), Kamara, Parker. Substitute not used: Bisset. Attendance: 77. Man of the Match: Niall Tilsley

The Pikes beat Thackley 2-0 last Tuesday night courtesy of goals from Matty Turnbull and Nathan Kamara,

Pikes (V Thackley): Wells, Parker, Danby, Chipps, Turnbull, Tilsley, Thompson, Cooper, Blott (Taylor 80), Kamara (Dalton 85), Robinson (Ingram 20).

Attendance: 123. Man of the Match: Robert Chipps