Albion Sports have done all they can to make the play-offs, as they rounded off the regular league season with a vital 2-1 win at Pickering Town.

That away victory ensured Thackley, Silsden, Hallam and Knaresborough can now no longer overtake them in the table, but Penistone Church remain a threat.

The Sheffield-based side beat Goole 4-0 at home on Saturday, and are nine points behind Albion, who sit in the final play-off spot, with three games of their season still left to go.

Win them all, and they will pip the Bradford side to fifth on goal difference, drop any points, and Albion will take their place in the end-of-season shootout.

They took the game to Pickering early on on Saturday, with Ryan Conlon having an early strike cleared off the line by a home defender.

Dom Staunton headed a corner just over for Albion too, before they finally took the lead on 15 minutes.

Aran Basi’s long ball found Robbie Fox out wide and he found Ash Flynn on the edge of the box, who crashed a fine shot into the net.

Basi then volleyed a shot just over the bar before Staunton netted a sensational second goal, striking a half-volley perfectly to score from 45 yards out.

Flynn hit the post as Albion sought a third goal, but Pickering started to gain a foothold and Nathan Dyer halved the deficit on the half-hour mark.

The influential Fox was forced off injured before the break, which Albion will hope is nothing too serious with the play-offs coming up.

Conlon’s overhead kick flew just over on the stroke of half-time, before Staunton headed an effort off the post just after the break.

Alex Washington and Conlon went close in the second half too, but Pickering posed little threat in truth, allowing their visitors to record a fairly comfortable win.

Albion’s match was the highlight of the weekend for the Bradford sides in the division, with Thackley’s derby clash at second-placed Campion postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and Eccleshill United’s home game against Garforth Town going the same way.

Like Thackley, Silsden can no longer reach the play-offs, but they are seeing out the season in style, scoring four goals for a third consecutive game to secure another three points on Saturday.

Luke Brooksbank netted twice for the Cobbydalers in a 4-1 win at Handsworth, with Jake Maltby and Casey Stewart also on target for the visitors.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Jake Maltby was on target for Silsden in their impressive win at Handsworth on Saturday.Jake Maltby was on target for Silsden in their impressive win at Handsworth on Saturday. (Image: Mike Bayly.)

Their neighbours Steeton lost 2-1 at Euxton Villa, denied what looked like a clear penalty and having a last-gasp goal ruled out for offside, in the North West Counties Football League First Division North.

But despite those perceived injustices, Steeton are now at least officially safe, with none of the bottom three able to catch them on points.

Route One Rovers remain in the play-off fight in that division. They did not play, but rivals South Liverpool lost 1-0 to Ashton Town.

Neither Ashton nor South Liverpool have quite booked their spot in the end-of-season shootout just yet, with both still battling against Ilkley Town, Holker Old Boys, Route One and Euxton Villa for the three remaining play-off spots alongside Atherton LR.

Brighouse Town are in real danger of going down from the Northern Premier League East Division, after their 2-1 defeat at Cleethorpes Town was made even worse by second-bottom Grantham Town’s 1-0 victory over Consett.

Brig are now just two points clear of the relegation zone with four matches left for both themselves and Grantham.

Liversedge’s game with Belper Town in that division was rained off, with the former now knowing they will finish the season in mid-table.

In the NPL Premier Division, Guiseley’s decision to sack Andy Welsh last week looks to have backfired, with their play-off hopes now hanging by a thread.

They lost 2-0 at home to second-placed Warrington Rylands on Saturday and look set to miss out on that coveted top-five finish barring an unlikely set of results.

Farsley Celtic remain in the National League North relegation zone on goal difference, despite a dramatic 1-0 home win over Peterborough Sports, who could still go down themselves.

Michael Coulson grabbed the only goal of the game, with Sports hitting the post with a last-gasp penalty that could end up being a massive moment for both teams.

Survival is still in Farsley’s hands, as they have a game in hand on Blyth Spartans, Darlington and Southport, who are above them on goal difference, by two points and by three points (but with a poorer goal difference) respectively.

Remarkably, that game in hand is the reverse fixture between Sports and Farsley tomorrow night.