HIGHGATE remain on course for promotion to the Midland Football League Premier Division thanks to a 2-1 home win over Racing Club Warwick.
Despite being on the backfoot for long periods Gate had enough quality in their locker to claim all three points and remain six points clear at the top of Division One with three games in hand over their rivals.
The only change to a line up which had drawn at Atherstone a week ago saw leading scorer Lei Brown return from a one match ban to replace Liam O’Shea up front.
Racing Club Warwick came into Saturday’s game high in confidence on the back of a 6-1 victory at Alvis Sporting but it was the hosts who almost got off to the perfect start when Brown headed in Nathan Edginton’s free kick but the goal was ruled out because of an offside infringement.
Martin Crawford then sent a lob over the bar and failed to squeeze the ball home from close range after a good piece of build up play between Brown and Edgington.
Pressure on the visitors’ goal continued with on loan goalkeeper Bradley Catlow producing a string of outstanding saves to deny Brown from an Edgington cross and he also tipped over Crawford’s dipping effort.
The deadlock was finally broken on 27 minutes when Brown finally beat Cadlow with a curling shot which sailed into the bottom corner of the net.
It was no more than the hosts deserved but within eight minutes Racing Club Warwick were level thanks to Ryan Langmead who got on the end of a perfect cross from Adam Laight and dispatched a close range header into the back of the net.
Immediately after the break Catlow twice used his legs to save from Brown then held onto efforts from substitutes Brett Fellows and Connor Mooney.
But the winning goal came on the hour mark when Richards picked up the ball wide and a quick burst of pace saw him move into the box before unleashing a powerful shot which sailed high into the roof of the net.
Gate continued on the front foot with Richards hitting Mooney’s pass over the bar and Mooney then played a one-two with Crawford to go even closer with a shot curled inches past Catlow’s right-hand post.
Although 2-1 down the visitors were far from and they came close to bagging a point when Jake Brown tested Conor McCarthy from long range but the hosts managed to hold out for the win.
On Saturday Highgate are away to Stafford Town.
