THERE remains only two points between the top three of the York Minster Engineering League premier division as the trio all recorded victories on Saturday.

Champions Old Malton St Mary’s led 2-0 at the interval at Osbaldwick and, despite a scare following Andrew Bilton’s goal for the home side, they emerged as 3-1 winners.

Midfielders Dean Readman and Dean Nuttall and substitute Joshua Bown got the goals, while Callum Scott starred at centre-back.

Riccall, Saints’ nearest challengers last season, are up there again, with a hat-trick from Ian Beckram helping them to maintain their title push in an 8-0 demolition of winless Easingwold Town. Eight goals were also seen at York RI, as third-placed Dunnington won 7-1, Tom Richards another hat-trick scorer.

Down towards the bottom, Terrington Glory went down 4-1 at mid-table Dringhouses.

Strikes from James Robinson and Dave Watson plus a Wilson Briggs penalty gave ‘Houses a 3-0 half-time lead before Johnny Brown pulled one back for Glory. Watson’s second completed the scoring.

The top three in division one also won – Ryedale sides staying in the hunt.

F1 Racing’s perfect start continued as Chris Dempsey sealed victory at Pocklington Town, but on their heels are Malton & Norton and Brooklyn.

Simon Reeves and Scott Preston gave second-placed M&N a 2-0 home victory over Cliffe, while third-placed Brooklyn had goals from Marcus Godsell and George Moore to thank for a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Tockwith.

Brooklyn began the brighter, distributing the ball well from back to front, and Mikey Brown had the first opportunity of the game but his effort was well saved.

Brown almost turned provider when his cross from the right saw Ryan Boyd head flash just wide.

Tockwith began to put Brooklyn’s defence under pressure, but the visitors shaped well to keep the interval scoreline blank, Kristian Wilkinson giving a man-of-the-match performance at the heart of the defence.

Tockwith gained the breakthrough midway through the second half, with a deflected effort from 30 yards, but the visitors responded well and soon levelled as Brown’s precise cross was headed into the top corner by Godsell.

Brooklyn then began to dominate and claimed a deserved winner after David Thompson won the ball superbly in midfield and fed Godsell who in turn produced a pin-point through ball which saw the in-form Moore coolly slot home his second winner in as many games.

Stamford Bridge, who have a game in hand on the division three leaders, reduced the deficit to the top to four points after goals from Chris Bowles, John Cavanagh, debutant Nick Lawrie and Jamie Rank gave them a 4-2 win over Rufforth United.

The away side found the net through Danny Witcombe and an own goal. Kirkbymoorside bounced back from their first-ever defeat in the York Minster Engineering League last week with a 7-1 rout of Crayke.

Veteran forward Alex Strickland added another three goals to his season’s tally, with the rest of the plunder shared between Aaron Rivis, David Gardner, Danny Butterworth and Sarjo Cham. Bradley Magson was the man of the match in midfield. Settrington were edged out by the only goal in their division four match against Wetherby Athletic, who rose to third position.

In reserve ‘A’, Dean Leadill, Jon Newton and James Mcloughlon were on target for Old Malton Stt Mary’s second string in a 3-1 win at Haxby United.

In reserve ‘B’, Sam Wood, David Knight and Darren Heels were on target for Stamford Bridge seconds in a 3-1 triumph over Pocklington Town. Mark Sissons replied.

Brooklyn reserves were edged out by the odd goal in 11 in a free-scoring match against Hemingbrough, for whom Tom Collins, Paul Brown, Rich Collins, Steve Irving, Arron White and Dan Collins all found the net.