ALTRINCHAM manager Graham Heathcote was full of praise for Accrington after the classy Crown Ground outfit clinched the UniBond premier championship and promotion to the Nationwide Conference with a 3-1 home win over the Robins.

Alty did their best to be party poopers and were on course for a point until late goals by Steve Halford and ex-Bury striker Lutel James enabled Stanley to cash in on Ashton United's 2-2 draw with their nearest rivals, Barrow, to wrap up the title with four games to spare.

Heathcote, whose side had equalised through a Barry Shuttleworth penalty to silence most of the 2,263 crowd after James had fired Accrington in front from the spot, said: "Any team who win their league by entertaining and scoring goals deserve credit."

Leigh are in danger of swapping places with Stanley after drawing a blank with Gravesend at Hilton Park.

The stalemate leaves the next-to-bottom Railwaymen perhaps needing to win two of their last three games to beat the drop. And Northwich, who they entertain on Easter Monday, are not out of the woodsafter tumbling 2-0 at Dagenham.

Colin Potts' pitch-assisted free-kick, which took a wicked bounce on its way in, gave Stalybridge a 1-0 UniBond premier win at Lancaster.

Radcliffe's hopes of securing automatic promotion from division one nosedived as they draw at Belper. But Borolook certain to make the play-offs, in which they could be joined by Chorley, 2-1 winners over promotion contenders North Ferriby.

WEDNESDAY'S Manchester Premier Cup final between Ashton United and Droylsden at Boundary Park kicks off at 7.30pm.

Tweet