Pickering Town consolidated their Northern Counties East League premier division fifth place with a 1-0 win over Armthorpe Welfare.

Lee Pallender got the decisive goal for the Pikes to leave them five points clear of sixth-placed Liversedge with three games to go.

Player-manager Alex Mathie said: "It was a good victory in a game where the result was more important than the performance. It's always hard to play at this time of the season but the lads did well and now we're just looking forward to our last three games next week."

Goole, meanwhile, were left cooling their heels after their chance to go top on goal difference and take the psychological advantage was stamped out by the weather.

A win at Eccleshill United would have put them in pole position going into the weekend on the same points as Selby, albeit having played an extra game.

Updated: 10:31 Wednesday, April 20, 2005