Evo-Stik League First Division North leaders Chester FC survived a scare in one of Saturday’s lunchtime kick-offs, narrowly defeating Harrogate Railway Athletic.

The lowly visitors twice took the lead in front of a crowd of 2,137 through Wayne Harratt and Steve Palfrey, but a late brace from Chris Simm secured all three points for the table-toppers after George Horan`s first.

AFC Fylde are clearly in great form as the end of the season approaches, and notched up another confident victory, this time 4-1 at Trafford.

Tom Cahill gave the visitors a great start with a goal inside the opening minute, and he scored again in the 39th minute – 15 after Matt Mahoney had made it 2-0.

Michael Barnes added Fylde`s fourth with 32 minutes still left to play, but Kyle Harrop`s 89th minute consolation was the only other goal of the afternoon.

Skelmersdale United and Chorley also kept up appearances, beating Witton Albion and Cammell Laird respectively to remain in the play-off positions.

Shaun Tuck`s goal a minute before half-time eventually proved enough for Skem, while Steve Foster, Dale Whitham and Matt Jansen all found the target in the opening 38 minutes for Chorley.

Curzon Ashton were the only side in the top five to drop points on Saturday, drawing 2-2 with Bamber Bridge where the home side led 2-0 inside 7 minutes through Chris McDonagh and Dan Broadbent only for Chris Marlow and Peter Wright to cancel that out with two in 2 minutes midway through the second half.

At the bottom, it looks increasingly bleak for Leigh Genesis, who lost 2-0 against Salford City, for whom Jack Redshaw bagged a brace in the 24th and 60th minutes at Moor Lane.

Radcliffe Borough put some daylight between themselves and the bottom two with a 2-1 victiry at over Warrington Town at Cantilever Park.

All the goals came in the final 15 minutes – Dave Sherlock and Osebi Abadaki for Boro and Tom Hardwick for the Yellows.

Ossett Albion, meanwhile, look to be in real trouble after losing 4-0 at home to Lancaster City, whose Alex Johnson, Jack Duggan and Dave Swarbrick scored in the first half and Max Rothwell in the second.

Clitheroe and Garforth Town treated the crowd of 183 to a six-goal thriller to share the spoils.

The Yorkshire side were two-up through David Brown and Ollie Hitchkiss. Jack Higgins and Alan Coar pulled the hosts` back on terms before Hotchkiss looked to have won it for Garforth in the 89th minute, only for Rob Turner to level in injury-time.

Prescot Cables came from 2-0 down to snatch a draw with Woodley Sports, whose Lee Blackshaw and Nathan Neequaye put them in front.

Jason Massie and Joe Gibiliru pulled Cables back on terms in the final 5 minutes.

Durham City beat Mossley 3-2 in the day’s other game, with Steve Thompson`s 12th minute penalty opener for City being cancelled out by Chris Rowney.

Then goals in the last 5 minutes from David Dowson and Jack Pounder made it 3-1 before Kristian Dennis added a second for the Lillywhites.