EIGHT-MAN Eccleshill United lost 2-1 at Pickering Town on Saturday after having three players sent off in a feisty clash.

Pickering's Adam Russell also received his marching orders in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division encounter.

The match flared up on 32 minutes when United's Jamie Buchan was red-carded for using his elbow.

Two minutes later, Russell headed for his early bath for kicking the ball at Paul Gelder, who followed him off the pitch for throwing a punch.

Sean Hutchinson was also booked during the melee and then ordered off before the restart for dissent.

The Pikes had earlier taken the lead through Stephen Swales on 19 minutes but Ben Hardy looked to have earned Eccleshill an unlikely point with a 79th-minute equaliser.

Sub Steve Young then spared the home side's blushes with the winning goal three minutes later.

Harrogate Railway ended Selby Town's chances of finishing the season on a high by clinching a 2-1 away win.

Matt Wain gave Selby a 1-0 half-time lead but Damien Henderson levelled for Railway after the break.

The home side then struck the bar twice with Wain and Stuart Lee efforts before Scott Ryan settled the encounter with an 88th-minute glancing header.

Two goals in the last five minutes gave Goole a 2-0 victory over lowly Borrowash Victoria.

Danny Farthing broke the deadlock on 85 minutes and Cameron Stuart secured victory seconds before the final whistle.

Harrogate Town finished their Unibond League Premier Division campaign with a 4-3 victory at Ashton United but James Turley missed out on a hat-trick that would have cost manager John Reed £20.

Turley netted twice but a treble would have seen the Town striker reach 20 for the season and left Reed coughing up after a side-bet they had at the start of the campaign.

Ex-York City forward Turley levelled the scores on 36 minutes after Ashton had gone in front.

Two long-range efforts from James Riordan and Colin Hunter then twice gave Harrogate the lead only for the home side to fight back twice.

Hunter's second was scored on 89 minutes but there was still time for Ashton to equalise and Turley to fire in the winning goal with a spectacular strike.

The result ruined Ashton's chances of playing in the new Conference Two next season, where Harrogate will be playing after their fifth-placed finish.

A happy Reed said: "For a club of our stature I think we have over-achieved and had an excellent season to finish fifth."

Updated: 11:11 Monday, April 26, 2004