LEAGUE leaders Hawes United maintained their two-point advantage at the top of the table last Saturday with an 8-0 thrashing of Askrigg United. Brett Calvert scored inside 20 minutes and it was 4-0 at half time thanks to two own goals and a strike from Martyn Allen. Steve Calvert then hit a second half hat-trick before Ashley Iveson completed the rout in the closing stages.

Defending champions Unicorn FC kept the pressure on the leaders with a hard fought 2-1 victory over Richmond Buck Inn. The Buck scored first after 16 minutes when Unicorn goalkeeper Danny Dale punched a cross from Kenny Mudd into his own net, but Unicorn turned the match around before the break with two goals in four minutes – both created by Liam Waller set pieces. The equaliser, after 25 minutes, was finished by Nick Marshall after the Buck defence could only halfclear a Waller corner, while the second saw Andrew Hines head home at the near post. Unicorn then had further efforts from Gav Armstrong, Niall Spink and Waller disallowed for offside as they eased to another three points.

Richmond Mavericks Reserves remain in seventh place after beating bottom side Richmond Town Academy 5-0. The match was over as a contest by the break as Carl Tate, Fabio Sartini and Darren Matthews made it 3-0, while Tate and Matthews completed the scoring in the second half.

In the Dales Cup, Carperby Rovers reached the semi-final with a 4-2 home victory over nine-man Reeth. An early brace from Kalem Stanger seemed to have put Rovers in control but Steven Fleming halved the deficit for Reeth before the break. Mark Percival then made it 3-1 soon after the restart but Mike Snowden replied for Reeth almost immediately. However, any hope of a comeback was over when James Keyse was sent off on the hour and things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Eddy Anderson was also dismissed ten minutes from time. Substitute Stuart Dent added a fourth for Rovers in the closing stages to seal their place in the last four.

Medals Shield finalists Colburn Town were given a bye to the semi-finals after their scheduled opponents, Bedale Town from the Harrogate League, were unable to raise a team.