UNICORN FC are now just one win away from sealing their first league title after picking up four points from two tough games.

A week last Wednesday they fought out a 0-0 draw at a depleted Spennithorne and Harmby. Despite missing several key players, the hosts gave as good as they got throughout and it might have been a different story had an early effort not been deflected narrowly wide by a Unicorn defender, but the leaders held on for a vital point.

Last Saturday Unicorn hosted Hawes United and produced a performance worthy of potential champions to win 5-1. The hosts were given an early boost when a corner from Gareth Barber was headed into his own net by a Hawes defender and they sealed the points with goals either side of the break from Carl Handley and Paul Brown. Leading scorer Danny Allen then added a fourth – his 30th goal of the season – before Ryan Crowther completed the scoring ten minutes from time.

Unicorn will now be crowned Champions if they beat Carperby Rovers in midweek.

Colburn Town look set to finish runners-up after winning 9-1 at Askrigg United last Saturday. Tom Sweeney and Stu Murray both hit hat-tricks while Ben Hook, with two, and Adam Palmer rounded off a comfortable Colburn victory.

Richmond Buck Inn, who were in the title race for most of the season, will have to settle for a place in the top four after going down to a 1-0 defeat at a Richmond Town Academy side who are finishing the season with af lourish.

Last season’s champions have already lifted the Medals Shield, are in the final of Dales Cup next month and could sneak into the top three after a goal from James Muirhead gave them all three points against the Buck.

It brought to an end a good week for the Academy as they had beaten Catterick Rovers 5-1 a week last Monday.

Richy Curruthers and Josh Woof made it 2-0 at the break, while Wooff added two more in the second half to complete his hat-trick, before substitute Sam Vernon made it nine goals in nine matches near the end. Richmond then beat Carperby Rovers 3-0, two days later thanks to goals from James Casey, Craig Soulsby and James Donaldson.

Richmond Mavericks Reserves are also ending the season in good form after they followed up a midweek draw at Catterick Garrison Football Centre with a 13-0 win against Hawes Gayle last Saturday. Lloyd Tate, Ben Smith and Kieran French were all target in the 3-3 draw at the Garrison, for whom Michael Birdsall, Liam Walker and Craig Teasdale replied. Tate then struck six times against Gayle, with Fabio Sartini hitting a hattrick, along with further efforts from Darren Matthews, Dave Andrews, Matty Bromirskj and Dan Johnson.

Catterick Garrison then beat Reeth 5-1 last Saturday thanks to a hat-trick from Damian Hargreaves and a brace from Pete Hurry.

Reeth had earlier won a thriller at Askrigg United 5-3.

Steve Bainbridge struck twice while Karl Longden, Thomas Wallis and Steven Fleming sealed the points.

Hawes United won the midweek derby against Hawes Gayle 7-1. Ashley Iveson, Scott Guy and Martyn Allen all struck twice for United while Steve Calvert completed the rout. Lewis Moore replied for Gayle in the second half.

The final game of a busy week saw Catterick Rovers beat Redmire United 1-0 last Saturday. Gav Rudd scored the only goal of a tight game with a neat shot on the turn from 25 yards after an Abdulie Tunkara pull back, midway through the first half.