HARROGATE Town fans have long had to listen to the claims the Wetherby Road club was on the verge on something big - but the performances have never lived up to the talking.

That was until now.

The 507-strong crowd that turned out on Saturday seem to believe Town are finally on their way up and the players did not let them down.

A solitary goal is all it took to see off the challenge of fellow promotion chasers Leek Town, but with leaders Radcliffe unable to play their clash because of the weather, it was enough to see them go top of the UniBond League first division for the first time in their history.

Whether Harrogate can now go on to fulfil their potential and win the title, only time will tell, but whatever happens they will enter the new year one point clear at the top with three games in hand. They are also a remarkable run which has seen them unbeaten in 19 games.

There were arguments from the Leek team that the game should not have gone ahead, with the protests continuing after the final whistle - the visiting keeper Kevin Welsby was even booked after the 90 minutes for dissent.

But despite the protests, the game went ahead and it was Town who prospered on the snow-covered Wetherby Road turf.

However, the home fans had to wait until the 70th-minute until the game was sealed.

Former Guiseley midfielder Colin Hunter converted Peter Atkinson's cross for the only goal, although Town did have the chances to add more to their tally.

Former York City striker Iain Dunn just couldn't apply the finishing touch to Paul Stansfield's cross, while Hunter was just off target.

Pickering Town boss Jimmy Reid now knows how far his side will have to if they are to win the Northern Counties East premier division title after they were thumped 3-0 by leaders Alfreton.

Reid had pin-pointed the game as a good leveller, but saw his side on the wrong end of the result.

Tadcaster Albion's NCEL division one trip to the east coast went ahead, only for Wayne Day's men to lose 2-0.

Selby Town's NCEL premier division game with Glapwell at Flaxley Road was postponed due to the weather, as was Harrogate Railway's tie against Armthorpe Welfare - although the game at Station View was only called off at 2.55pm.

Nestl Rowntree must have wished that their West Yorkshire League premier division clash with Wetherby Athletic had gone the same way after they lost 2-1.

Assistant-boss Jon Reynolds said: "We were poor. I think conditions were a great leveller and that they adapted to them the better.

"I'm very disappointed. We didn't play anything like we can, but take nothing away from Wetherby, they deserved to win."

Steve Ward opened the scoring for Nestl, only for goals either side of half-time to seal the points for Wetherby.

Updated: 11:29 Monday, December 31, 2001