WEEKEND FOOTBALL ROUND-UP
STOKE City gained their third win on the bounce as they beat Middlesbrough 2-0 at the Riverside Stadium.
Rose got the opener for thev Potters on 8 minutes and Stoke extended their lead on 37 minutes as Leris scored to seal the points.
The result takes the Potters into eleventh place in the Championship table. Attendance: 26,732
PORT Vale suffered defeat at the hands of bottom club Cheltenham Town.
The Valiants took the lead on 32 minutes as Devine netted for the home side, but Town equalised on 42 minutes and then gotthe winner on 66 minutes as Long scored his second goal of the game.
The result leaves the Valiants in sixteenth place in league 1. Attendance: 6,471
CREWE Alexandra were at the EnviroVent Stadium and gained a hard fought 1-0 victory over Harrogate Town.
The all important goal came in the 31st minute as Williams netted for the railwaymen. Attendance: 2,244
In the F.A. Trophy first round Macclesfield safely navigated their way into the second round draw with a 4-1 victory over Halesowen Town at the Leasing.com Stadium.
Hurst opened for scoring for the Silkmen on 14 minutes and they doubled their lead on 25 minutes as Rooney scored. Town did strike back after the break with a penalty from Okafor on 46 minutes, but the victory was sealed for the home side as Curran netted on 84 minutes and Rooney got his second of the game on 86 minutes. Attendance: 1,584
NANTWICH Town are also through to the next round of the F.A. Trophy after being held to a 0-0 draw by Stratford Town at the Weaver Stadium.
The Cheshire side went through on penalties though 4-2. Attendance: 279
KIDSGROVE Athletic dropped from top spot in the Northern Premier League West Divsion after losing 2-1 to new league leaders Precott Cables at the Jack Russell Stadium.
O'Halleron put Cables in front on 30 minutes but injury hit Grove equalised on 84 minutes with a goal from Fawns and it looked like the visitors were going to gain a point until the home side sealed victory with Donaldson netting in the 90th minutes. Attendance: 758
HANLEY Town suffered a 2-0 home defeat at Potteries Park against Mossley who scored two late goals to take victory.
The visitors scored in the 85th minute as Hickman netted and then the points were sealed as Richards scored in the 90th minute. Attendance: 132
LEEK Town moved into the play-off places as they went fifth in the table as they comprehensively beat 1874 Northwich 4-1 at Harrison Park.
Town opened the scoring on 13 minutes with a goal from Ndene with Carr netting the second on 24 minutes and Trickett-Smith scoring the first of his brace on 27 minutes. Trickett-Smith scored his second goal on 62 minutes before Green got a consolation goal for the visitors. Attendance: 493
ABBEY Hulton United lost 3-1 to Abbey Hey in the North West Counties League Southern Division.
Hey opened the the scoring on 9 minutes with a goal from Parker and they extended their lead as Shawcross netted on 35 minutes. United did pull a goal back on 76 minutes as Robinson netted, but Da Silva netted for the home side in the 95th minute. Attendance: 182
ALSAGER Town also suffered defeat on the road as they lost 2-1 to Brocton.
Blanchete scored the opener for Brocton on 25 minutes from the penalty spot, Town equalised though on 80 minutes as Jackson levelled the scores but Brocton's lead was quickly established again with Smith scoring on 85 minutes.
SANDBACH United gained a 1-1 draw with Cammell Laird 1907, Kattah scored on 24 minutes for United before Harvey equalised in the 26th minute.
IN the Midlands Premier League Congleton Town continued their impressive form with a 2-1 victory over Atherston Town.