Non-League Football: Mixed fortunes for Sheffield clubs on a difficult weekend

Iren Wilson fired the hosts in front before completing his brace soon after half-time. But by then, Brandon Bagley and Thomas Whiting (2) had put Andy Dawson’s side in the driving seat.

With injury forcing Whiting out of the game, Hallam struck back when Liam Royles netted twice.

But late efforts from Alex Bancroft and Jack Whitton saw the visitors climb to eighth.

Despite suffering a rare set-back, Hallam finished the afternoon three points clear of North Ferriby and boasting a plus 74 goal difference.

Sheffield FC and Stocksbridge Park Steels suffered mixed fortunes in Northern Premier League Division One East, with the latter beating Hebburn Town 5-2 while Ryan Cresswell’s team lost 5-0 to Marske United.

With goalkeeper Michael Roxburgh making his debut after signing from Huddersfield Town, Stocksbridge took advantage of the strong wind blowing across their ground when Sam Finlaw’s long-range effort bamboozled the Hebburn defence. Luke Mangham, who went on to claim a hat-trick, quickly doubled the hosts’ lead before Oliver Martin reduced the deficit.

However, with Magham adding two more after Joshua Nodder put Stocksbridge back in the driving seat, the fixture was over by the time Daniel Groves betted a consolation for Hebburn.

Adam Boyes was twice on target for Marske at the Tuffnells Home of Football Stadium, with substitute Matty Tymon also netting a brace. James Fairley’s late strike rounded off a miserable afternoon for Sheffield FC, who dropped to the foot of the table after fellow strugglers Pickering Town secured all three points against Ossett.

The clash had been evenly poised until a back header, which got stuck in the mud, presented Boyes with his first of the afternoon.

Handsworth dropped to 10th in the NCEL Premier Division, two points ahead of Bottesford Town, after narrowly losing to Emley at the Express Worktops Stadium.

Despite being an end to end affair, George Doyle’s fourth minute effort proved to be the only goal of the contest.

Mitchell Dunne and Leon Howarth both went close for Handsworth.