Classy Pickering Town taught Goole a lesson in cohesion on Saturday in a 3-1 Northern Counties East League premier division win

The Pikes were strong as a unit with their quality teamwork characterised by three key partnerships across the pitch, while skipper-less Goole, with Nigel Danby unavailable for another week, descended into backbiting.

Where Goole rained shots from distance, few were on target, while Pickering carved open the channels with smart inter-linking play.

Their first goal came after Gavin Dickinson, part one of the outstanding left-sided partnership with left-back Danny Brunton, flicked the ball over his head into the corner for Mark Swales to collect. The young striker crossed to Matthew Morton and followed the pass in to bury the ball in the net after Morton's intelligent lay-off.

Player-manager Alex Mathie was a creative thorn in Goole's side with one header to Swales forcing Chris Hill into a fabulous save, while another converted a Swales throw into a Brian Dutton header and the score to 2-0.

But Goole, though quiet, were not about to silently accept their fate, as a feisty Steve Davey indicated with a shot which skipped through a crowded penalty area but flashed just wide.

And on the stroke of half-time former Pike Joe Gaughan unleashed an unstoppable shot past Carl Silburn to reduce the deficit.

Buoyed by that and bolstered by two new full-backs, Mark Willoughby having been ferried to hospital with a head injury, Goole started the second half full of life as Ben Eastwood and Gaughan peppered the area with shots.

But Pickering were still more precise and Michael McNaughton hit the post from a header in a flurry of shots from a free-kick, while an audacious Mathie flick swayed the side-netting and Morton felt aggrieved when referee Richard Salt waved away what appeared to be a clear penalty on the hour.

Goole boss Paul Marshall said afterwards: "I thought we were going to get an equaliser - it was either going to be 3-1 or 2-2 - but they got it."

And it was close. But the intimidating cries of "kill it, kill the game" from Mathie, now on the bench, seemed to swing it as sub Seb Towse forced Hill to spill his shot and fellow bencher James Drinkall rounded it off at 3-1.

Two first-half goals gave the NCEL premier division chasers three points on leaders Selby Town as the Robins lost to Mickleover Sports 2-0, Tommy Leighton getting both.

Harrogate Railway's loss of form continued with a 3-1 reverse at home to Brodsworth Welfare.

Scott Bairstow pulled it back to 2-1 in the 88th minute but Welfare fired in a third on the final whistle.

In division one, Tadcaster Albion returned to winning ways with all the goals coming in the second half at Pontefract Collieries. Steve Ward's opener was cancelled out but Simon Keohoe restored Albion's lead before Alan Jackson netted a late penalty after Keohoe was fouled.

Nuneaton Borough leapfrogged Harrogate Town in Nationwide North after comfortably beating them 2-0.

Updated: 10:59 Monday, February 07, 2005