Relegation confirmed for Rushall Olympic as Kidderminster Harriers march on - round-up
Rushall Olympic's stay in the National League North will end after two seasons after relegation was confirmed with defeat at rivals Needham Market.
The Pics were Southern League Premier Central play-off winners two years ago to ensure promotion to step two for the first time in their history, but a battling campaign ended in disappointment for Richard Sneekes' side.
It comes after last season's efforts to defy the odds and avoid the drop with an impressive finish of 19th.
Needham Market's Luke Ingram converted a fine back-post header to settle the contest in Suffolk with a single goal on the hour.
With three games of the league campaign to go the Pics can no longer mount an escape and join Warrington Town and Farsley Celtic in relegation. Needham, in the final relegation spot at fourth-bottom, can just about survive but need a miracle currently eight points adrift.
The Pics had gone into the contest three unbeaten in National North with five points from a possible nine and picked up one or two eye-catching results over the last month but it did not prove enough for the Dales Lane club, who will return to step three next term.
Kidderminster Harriers kept up their flying form at the top of National North in what is proving a thrilling finale at the summit thanks to hat-trick hero Ashley Hemmings.
Phil Brown's men, in second, made it nine wins in an unbeaten run of 11 games to keep the pressure ramped up on leaders Scunthorpe United. Harriers were impressive 3-0 winners over play-off battling Curzon Ashton at Aggborough.
Brown said: "We like to get them (the fans) off their seats and excited. The first goal certainly got me excited. What a great ball and finish."
It took Hemmings just 48 seconds to head in his 30th goal of the season, to convert Reece Devine's cross.
The hosts had to be patient but star man Hemmings settled nerves in front of more than 3,000 fans as he smashed in a brilliant second with his left foot from 25 yards after the hour.
Harriers won a penalty 10 minutes from time and Maz Kouhyar and skipper Amari Morgan-Smith decided to hand Hemmings the opportunity of a fourth hat-trick of the season, which was duly converted.
Brown's side go to Rushall on Good Friday.
In the Southern Premier Central, promotion-hunting Halesowen Town had to settle for a frustrating goalless draw at home to lowly Barwell.
The Yeltz managed a stalemate for the second game in a row and a third successive draw overall in the mightily tight race at the top. Russ Penn's side are fourth, level on points with AFC Telford United, with Kettering a point clear and leaders Bedford now four clear of Halesowen at the summit.
"I thought we played really well, but just did not score," said Penn. "We did enough to win the game and created more chances than we did in the last two."
Halesowen were in charge with a number of first-half openings and McKauley Manning hit the post towards the end of the first period.
The second half was less convincing in front of more than 1,200 fans. Milan Butterfield fired wide before, in the dying moments, defender Ben Cassidy's strike across the face of goal somehow evaded a host of blue home shirts.
Stourbridge still have hopes of a strong top-ten finish and closed the gap to Leiston directly above them with a 2-0 home victory over the 10-man visitors.
A poor first half was lifted by Ethan Freemantle's volley on 25 minutes which gave goalkeeper William Johnson no chance.
Johnson was unfortunate to be sent off in injury time when his attempted clearance hit Freemantle and rebounded onto his hand but any contact was accidental.
Second half substitute Alex Bradley made it two on 57 minutes when the ball took a deflection into his path and he took it on to score past stand-in goalkeeper Kyran Clements.
