Kieran Watson hat-trick on his debut gets Hallam back on promotion track

Hallam grabbed the lead seven minutes before the break.

Max Pemberton floated a free-kick into the box where Bishop flicked the ball on and there was Michael Blythen to nip in before the keeper to knock the ball home.

It was 2-o on the stroke of half-time. With the visitors defence pushing forward Watson timed his run perfectly to get in on Ord’s long ball to run clear before coolly finishing low into the bottom corner as the visitors appealed in vain for offside.

The third on 65 minutes came when substitute Steve Brammer crossed into the middle where Watson got their before the keeper to score with a firm side-foot.

The visitors keeper did well to keep out Bishoip’s stinging drive but there was nothing he could do about the fourth on 72 minutes. A long ball out of defence sent Watson scurrying away down the inside right channel where he shrugged off a challenge before hitting a stunning strike from just outside the area into the top corner.

Penistone Church have slipped out of the automatic promotion places and are down to fourth following a 2-0 home defeat against promotion rivals Pontefract Collieries that saw the visitors climb to second.

Former Sheffield FC and Hallam striker Jordan Turner edged Pontefract in front on 67 minutes with Kane Reece sealing the points 11 minutes from time to end Church’s four match winning streak.

AFC Emley’s lead at the top is now down to two points after their third defeat in four with a surprise 1-0 home reversal against Brigg Town.

Dronfield Town finished up well beaten 5-1 at Eccleshill United after Ryan Ruddiforth had given Town hopes of a third win on the spin with a 12th minute lead.

Parkgate squandered 3-0 lead and the chance of climbing out of the Premier Division’s relegation following a 4-3 defeat at Bottesford Town. Parkgate had goals in the first 10 minutes from Alex Lill and a Sam Thornton double.

But Bottesford hit back to go in level at the break then denied Parkgate even a point with a stoppage time winner.

Armthorpe Welfare remain three points clear of the bottom three despite slipping to a fourth straight defeat with a 2-1 reversal at AFC Mansfield.

Welfare had the better of the early exchanges before Mansfield took the lead on 34 minutes against the run of play through a Ollie Fearon header. Matt Plummer doubled the home sides lead on 69 minutes with a low drive from 15 yards.

Armthorpe deservedly got a goal back when Liam Radford was sent clear to leave the home side hanging on.

Worksop Town made it three league wins on the spin with a 2-0 victory at relegation threatened Retford United that sees the Tigers climb up to eighth.

Kyle Jordan gave Worksop a 21st minute lead after he sprung the offside trap to calmly slot past the advancing keeper. And it was Jordan that sealed the points with the second from the penalty spot 10 minutes from time.

Maltby Main continued their recent improvement with a resounding 5-2 home win against Clipstone to make it four wins in the last six.

The visitors shocked the Miners taking a 10th minute lead when Ben Rodgers squeezed the ball home from a tight angle.

Maltby quickly hit back to level just five minutes later as Ryan Carroll out jumped the Clisptone defence to head home. Carroll volleyed the Miners in front on 23 minutes with recent signing Danny Patterson grabbing his first goal for the club with a deflected shot in time added on to to put Malty 3-1 ahead.

Clipstone pulled one back on 53 minutes through a Gareth Curtis free kick. But Maltby wrapped up the points with the fourth as Dean Smith nodded in the fourth inside the last five minutes with Carroll completing his hat-trick in time added on after a surging run into the area.

Midweek fixtures

Wednesday.

Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup Quarter-Final : Staveley MW v Handsworth Parramore.

Premier Division: Worksop Town v Pickering Town.

Division One: Hallam v Dronfield Town.