DEESIDE Ramblers kept up the pressure on North League Premier Division leaders Oxton on Saturday by stretching their winning run to five matches.
An 8-4 victory at City of York ensured second-placed Ramblers remained one point off the pace with the added benefit of having a game in hand.
They know, however, they will have to perform better if they are to pip Oxton to the sole automatic promotion place.
Ramblers found themselves two down inside the first five minutes but they battled back to lead at the break.
City of York switched off after the restart and their Tarporley visitors took full advantage to score five unanswered goals.
During this period Ramblers were forced to operate without a goalkeeper after Oli Owen was shown a yellow card.
Rock-solid defending denied the hosts a shot at goal.
It came as a disappointment to the Ramblers coaching team when City of York pulled two cheap goals back after Owen had returned from the penalty box.
Ali Ghazanfar (2), Jonny Verity (2), Andy Hayter, Ibby Latif and Chris Brand – with his first goal of the campaign – shared the strikes for Ramblers, who are away to struggling Alderley Edge this Saturday (1.30pm).
A super second-half performance saw Ramblers 2nds to a 7-1 success at home to Didsbury Northern 2nds on Saturday.
Derek Millard-Smith (2), Andy Stammers (2), Callum Guy (2) and Jack Hill did the damage.
Ramblers 3rds ground out an excellent 4-3 win at home to Neston South Wirral 2nds on Saturday.
Trailing by a single goal at half-time, the hosts pulled out all the stops in the second half to edge a closely fought contest with efforts from Nick Worrall (2), captain Piers Fielding and Richard Jones.
A thumping 11-1 home victory over rock-bottom Oxton 3rds followed on Sunday.
Ramblers Beavers came from behind to win 2-1 at home to a Chester Beavers side whose goalkeeper had a storming game.
He was eventually beaten, though, by Jamie Maudsley and Joe Hunt.
