Aldershot scored a late penalty to draw 1-1 with Vanarama National League play-off rivals Solihull Moors, who finished with 10 men at the EBB Stadium.

The Shots, who had lost to relegation battlers York last weekend, created an early opening when captain Lorent Tolaj dragged an angled effort wide before Theo Widdrington’s drive was turned around the post by Moors keeper Nick Hayes.

Moors broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute when Tahvon Campbell turned in a flick-on at the near post by defender James Clarke from a corner.

Aldershot, though, were level with just two minutes left after Moors defender Richard Stearman was shown a red card for tripping Tolaj in the box, and Cian Harries coolly converted the resulting spot-kick.

Kidderminster scored a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw at Wealdstone that leaves both clubs still in the thick of the National League relegation battle.

Wealdstone had looked set to move five points clear of trouble thanks to Max Kretzschmar’s goal on the stroke of half-time but Ashley Hemmings levelled in the 82nd minute to earn third-bottom Kidderminster a fourth-successive draw.

David Noble’s hosts may still be wondering how they failed to take an 18th-minute lead at Grosvenor Vale, Charlie Barker seeing his backheel saved by Christian Dibble before Kallum Cesay hit the crossbar from the loose ball and Sean Adarkwa subsequently firing against the post.

Stones also had a Barker goal disallowed and lost leading scorer Adarkwa to injury before they took the lead in first-half stoppage-time through Kretzschmar.

That seemed increasingly likely to be the winning goal as Marcus Dewhurst did well to deny Harriers duo Amari Morgan-Smith and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, but the Stones goalkeeper was finally beaten when Hemmings latched onto Jack Lambert’s through ball to equalise.

Kidderminster almost snatched a dramatic stoppage-time winner – and a fifth victory in their last seven away games – but Krystian Pearce’s header struck the crossbar.

Barnet further strengthened their Vanarama National League play-off push with a comfortable 6-0 win over strugglers Dorking at The Hive, even as their automatic promotion hopes were ended.

The Bees went in front after 10 minutes when Nicke Kabamba converted a penalty before Gatlin O’Donkor shot into an empty net from 25 yards past stranded Dorking keeper Harrison Male.

Callum Stead made it 3-0 after half an hour and the striker added a fourth with a low drive shortly before the break.

Captain Dale Gorman tapped in a fifth with 10 minutes left, before Zak Brunt completed the scoring in stoppage time to leave Barnet four points clear in second place with six games left – but 21 behind Chesterfield, who beat Boreham Wood to clinch the title.

Eastleigh earned a vital point in their National League survival bid as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Hartlepool.

Hartlepool took the lead in the 19th minute when Joe Grey rounded off a well-worked team move by slotting home from inside the box.

Eastleigh had a chance to get on level terms with 13 minutes to play when they were awarded a penalty for a handball inside the area.

Chris Maguire, who joined Hartlepool on a short-term contract in 2022 but was not allowed to play due to a Football Association betting charge, made no mistake from the spot and slid it into the bottom left corner to make it 1-1 and leave them three points above the drop zone.

Bottom side Oxford City blew the lead to go down 2-1 to AFC Fylde in the National League, confirming their relegation back to the sixth tier in the process.

Josh Parker fired the visitors into the lead with a composed finish after 15 minutes.

But Joe Westley got in behind the Oxford back line on the hour and expertly bent the ball into the net to draw the hosts level.

Nick Haughton sealed the victory for Fylde with a stunning free-kick into the top corner with 10 minutes remaining.

The result leaves Oxford 16 points from safety with only five games remaining.

Rochdale extended their winning run in the Vanarama National League to three games with a 1-0 victory over Maidenhead at Spotland.

Devante Rodney scored the only goal in the 38th minute, reacting quickest to head home following Craig Ross’s save from Kairo Mitchell’s shot.

Will de Havilland headed just wide for Maidenhead moments before half-time and he also saw a shot well saved by Jacob Chapman midway through the second half.

Jimmy Keohane had a golden opportunity to double the hosts’ lead in the 65th minute but Ross saved from close range.

Maidenhead kept pushing for an equaliser and they almost found it but Chapman turned behind Casey Pettit’s curling effort late on.

Gateshead twice came from behind to edge a 3-2 National League victory over Altrincham and keep their play-off push alive at Moss Lane.

The home side opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Alex Newby drilled a low shot into the bottom corner to give them a narrow lead at the interval.

Gateshead hit back four minutes after the break through Marcus Dinanga but they were not on level terms for long.

Three minutes later, Altrincham hit the front once again as Dan Mooney let rip from 25 yards and found the back of the net in superb fashion.

But, Gateshead came roaring back to level matters soon after as Kieron Evans found the back of the net and they secured maximum points in the 73rd minute when Kain Adom powered home following a long throw in.

York boosted their bid to beat the drop from the National League with a 2-0 win at high-flying Bromley.

The opening goal came in the 32nd minute when Marvin Armstrong prodded the ball home amid a goalmouth scramble.

Substitute Kido Taylor-Hart almost equalised from the edge of the area but his fierce shot was was saved by Lewis Thomas.

York wrapped up the points through Dipo Akinyemi’s long-range effort with nine minutes remaining.

Chesterfield clinched a return to the Football League as a 3-0 win over Boreham Wood wrapped up the National League title.

Jamie Grimes scored twice and Liam Mandeville netted immediately after the interval as the Spireites stayed 21 points clear with nearest challengers Barnet, who hammered Dorking 6-0, now having only 18 to play for.

Chesterfield keeper Harry Tyrer had to make an excellent early save from Tom Whelan’s free-kick but the hosts took the lead in the 28th minute when captain Grimes headed home Mandeville’s corner from near the penalty spot.

It was 2-0 less than a minute into the second half as Mandeville tucked away Armando Dobra’s cross and the 9,907-strong crowd were treated to a 100th league goal of Chesterfield’s season when the impressive Dobra teed up Grimes to score his second of the game.

Struggling Wood could find no response and as the five added minutes expired, the celebrations could begin.

Non-League clubs remain the “lifeblood and soul of English football” as they stive to balance ambition with careful financial management, according to Hartlepool president Jeff Stelling.

Eastleigh host Hartlepool in the Vanarama National League on Saturday, one of 10 focus fixtures across Non-League Day which celebrates a decade working with Prostate Cancer UK.

As part of the 10-year milestone activities, the Premier League trophy will be on display at the Silverlake Stadium.

Emulating Manchester City in lifting such silverware may be something Eastleigh and Hartlepool supporters can only dream of.

Nevertheless Stelling – who hosted Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday show for more than 25 years before stepping down at the end of last season – feels that in no way diminishes their standing within the game.

“People forget that they are still the lifeblood and soul of English football – to fans of National League sides or National League North or South sides, their clubs matter just as much to them as Manchester City or Liverpool matter to their fans,” Stelling told the PA news agency.

“They are just as passionate and yet they have to survive on the crumbs from the table. It is a hell of a feast on that Premier League table and yet the lower league sides, and particularly the non-league sides, they get left anything that is pretty much dropped on the floor.

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“It will be interesting to see what effect the (new independent football) regulator has. I think none of us are too sure quite how it is going to work and there are certainly grey areas there.

“I read clubs are going to be need to be licenced annually and if they can’t prove they are financially OK then they wont get that licence. Well, what happens to that football club then?

“New owners are not like apples from trees – it is really tough to find someone to back your football club.

“But on the positive side, if there is control over what (money) the Premier League give to the EFL and thereby the entire pyramid, then that has got to be a good thing.”

Stelling, who has been honorary president of Hartlepool since 2015, accepts facing up to the reality of life further down the pyramid can be a tough juggling act.

“You do have to live within your means, or as best you can,” he said.

“You have to balance it up with ambition because every supporter wants you to be ambitious and also no supporter wants you to put the club into financial difficulties. It is an incredibly difficult juggling act.

“You want to have ambition and not to just stagnate, but equally you don’t want to put your club at risk because, at the end of the day, the one thing you absolutely have to have is a football club to support at whatever level.”

During a series of marathon marches since 2016, Stelling has helped raise more than £1.7million for Prostate Cancer UK and increased awareness about a disease which affects one in eight men.

Stelling, 69, said: “If you catch prostate cancer early, it is one of the most treatable of all forms of cancer, so if you do get yourself checked you have got a better chance of discovering it early and then going on and living an absolutely normal and healthy life.

“Prostate Cancer UK are saying take their 30-second risk checker and if you have any concerns, make an appointment with your GP, who can help take it forward.”

:: Prostate cancer is a disease which affects one in eight men in the UK and is the most common cancer in men. Find out your risk of prostate cancer and find a fixture near you via https://nonleagueday.co.uk/

Ten-man Bromley strengthened their grip on the National League play-off positions with a 1-0 win at Wealdstone.

A long night for the Ravens looked on the cards when Grant Smith was sent off in just the 16th minute for an incident in Wealdstone’s penalty area.

They had some defending to do as Aaron Henry and Manny Duku both went close for the hosts.

But after Ashley Charles hit the crossbar with a free-kick, Michael Cheek ensured a vital three points when he fired a low effort into the bottom corner in the 73rd minute.

Chesterfield were forced to keep the promotion champagne on ice as the runaway National League leaders were thrashed 4-2 at Halifax.

The Spireites only needed a point to rubberstamp their place in League Two but instead were beaten by the in-form Shaymen, who moved into the play-off places after a seventh win in eight games.

Paul Cook’s front-runners took the lead shortly after the half-hour when top-scorer Will Grigg prodded home a rebound off the post, but were behind within eight minutes as Ryan Harker snapped up a quick-fire double.

Halifax made it 3-1 just before the break through Andrew Oluwabori, who then turned provider for Aaron Cosgrave in the 66th minute.

James Berry-McNally raced clear to grab one back with 11 minutes left but Chesterfield were unable to fashion the comeback that would have secured top spot in the division.

Barnet tightened their grip on second spot in the Vanarama National League after goals from Dale Gorman and Gatlin O’Donkor earned a 2-1 success over relegation-threatened Eastleigh.

Captain Gorman set the promotion-chasing Bees on course to move four points clear of third-placed Bromley with a stunning strike from distance in the 18th minute.

On-loan Oxford forward O’Donkor doubled Barnet’s advantage with a fine 38th-minute volley.

Chris Maguire halved the deficit before the break by running half the length of the pitch to finish a counter-attack, but the 18th-placed Spitfires remain just three points above the drop zone following a fourth game without a win.

Halifax secured a sixth win in their last seven National League games with a 2-0 victory over rock-bottom Oxford City.

A quickfire double from Robert Harker and Andrew Oluwabori moved Town to within a point of the play-off places and left their opponents on the brink of relegation.

The away side opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Harker took advantage of some sloppy City possession at the back and finished easily.

Halifax doubled their lead a minute later as Oluwabori struck his third goal in seven games.

They had further chances to extend their lead but goalkeeper Marcin Brzozowski kept out Harker three times in the second period.

Southend remain three points above Hartlepool in midtable in the National League after the sides played out a goalless draw.

The first big chance fell to Southend’s Gus Scott-Morriss after he got on the end of Nathan Ralph’s cross at the far post but his effort was well blocked.

Down the other end, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe set up Brennan Dickenson for a shot that was saved while Henry Sandat headed over for Southend in the early stages of the second half.

Dickenson continued to be a danger, forcing the keeper into a low save and then heading over, while the final chance fell to Harry Cardwell, who also headed just off target.