Selby Town ground out an important result against Northern Counties East League premier division strugglers Arnold Town.

The Robins managed a hard-fought 1-0 home win over the Nottinghamshire side to return to winning ways and remain second in the table.

Selby took the lead half an hour into the match with a strike by forward Joe Gaughan.

Arnold battled on well creating lots of chances, but the Robins showed defensive steel and held on to take all three points.

"Matt Potter, our 'keeper, was man of the match, which says a lot about the performance," said Selby manager Bob Lyon.

"We didn't play well. It was probably the first time this season that we have won when we didn't really deserve to. They should have at least got a draw.

"But it was an important game for us, it got us back to winning ways.

"We took all three points, plus kept a clean sheet, which is the most important thing for us.

"We are back on track now, and have got to keep fighting on."

Pickering Town boss Steve Brown lamented two lost points as his side drew 1-1 at home to mid-table Armthorpe Welfare.

Adam Russell, who was impressive during his first start of the season, earned the Pikes a point with a spectacular second-half equaliser, scissor-kicking into the net on the hour mark.

But Brown believes his side, who are still unbeaten at Mill Lane in the league this season, must improve if they are to stay in the division's top four.

He said: "It was a case of two points dropped. We let ourselves down in attack and were a bit short of ideas and, if we are going to maintain our league position we need to be better.

"We have had a lot of changes in personnel but I do not go for excuses. We should still have had enough quality to win games such as the one on Saturday. We have got some hard work to do now."

Clayton Flower earned Tadcaster Albion maximum points with an injury-time strike that sealed a 2-1 division one victory over Carlton.

The goal was Flower's second of a game that Tadcaster dominated from start to finish.

Flower's first goal had come on 15 minutes when he fired a quickly-taken free kick into the bottom corner.

Tadcaster should have then added to that lead in the second half with Flower missing a hat-trick of one-on-ones and Mark Hick going close.

Gavin Day also saw a sweetly-struck volley hit his team-mate Hick to prevent a certain goal.

Carlton levelled the scores against the run of play after a Mally Bolland mistake. Bolland failed to control the ball in the middle of the park and Carlton broke to net an equaliser.

But Flower gave Wayne Day's men a deserved victory when he took advantage of a poor goalkeeper clearance to get his second goal of the match on 93 minutes.

Harrogate Railway's NCEL premier division away match at Sheffield was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

Updated: 12:14 Monday, December 01, 2003