MICHAEL Hopkins fired North Leigh to a seventh win in eight league games in beating Paulton Rovers 1-0 at Eynsham Park.

The midfielder scored the only goal of the game as the Millers climbed to seventh in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West ahead of today’s derby clash at Didcot Town.

North Leigh are now six points behind Evesham United, who occupy the final play-off spot, but with only two games to go and a vastly inferior goal difference, an assault on the top five is out of the question.

Once again they had to persevere without their regular goalkeeper as defender Stuart Hole donned the gloves in place of the unavailable Lewis Clayton.

In a lacklustre first-half, the Millers’s best chance fell to Josh Thomas on 12 minutes, but he fired wide after good work from George Seacole.

The home side, though, scored what proved to be the winning goal on 61 minutes.

Seacole slipped in Hopkins, who scuffed a shot which trickled past goalkeeper Andrew Hannah and into the net.

Matt Sysum headed straight at Hannah, before Hole saved a Jordan Ricketts free-kick at the other end.

The Millers should have put the game beyond doubt in the final minute when Seacole was denied by Hannah, before heading the rebound on to a post, but it ultimately did not matter.

North Leigh: Hole, Lymn, Wellon, Turk, Gunn, Sysum, Napa (R James 68), D James, Seacole, Thomas, Hopkins. Subs not used: Cook, M Williams, Wyatt.

Attendance: 69.

Didcot earned their first away clean sheet of the season as Ben Whitehead’s strike secured a 1-0 win at Larkhall Athletic.

The hosts controlled the early proceedings, but were left stunned on 15 minutes when Whitehead beat goalkeeper Shaun Semmens with a brilliant 25-yard strike.

Greg Peel and Geraint Baker went close for Larkhall, but were unable to test Didcot keeper Leigh Bedwell.

George Reid and Taylor Janes went close to extending the Railwaymen’s lead after the break, before Bedwell denied the hosts late on to earn a third win in four games for the visitors.

Didcot Tn: Bedwell, Jeacock, Tanner, Thomas, Cattell, Learoyd, Barder, McNish (Janes HT), Reid (Thorne 85), B Whitehead, Organ. Subs not used: Ballard, Lovegrove, H Whitehead.

Attendance: 145.

Relegated Wantage Town picked up only their fourth win of the campaign when beating Slimbridge 2-0 at home.

Jack Powell and Mark Francis were on the scoresheet.