TITLE contenders Alsager take on second-placed Norton at home this Saturday in a crunch match for both highflying sides.

Alsager maintained their championship bid with a 2-1 victory at home to mid-table Baddeley Green on Saturday.

The home side took the lead early on when Nick Rafferty played a ball through for striker Gareth Rowe in the ninth minute.

Rowe ran 20 yards before slotting the ball past the keeper.

Baddeley thought the goal was offside, and the referee stopped the match for 10 minutes because of vociferous protests from the visitors' assistant manager.

The Baddeley keeper saved well from Rowe in the 27th minute, and the striker went agonisingly close 10 minutes into the second half.

His shot was saved by the keeper, and his second effort from the rebound hit the underside of the bar before being cleared.

Alsager went 2-0 up in the 63rd minute when Steve Faint latched onto a pass from Steve Brown to beat the full back and fire home.

Baddeley pulled a goal back four minutes later after a mistake by Alsager central defender Chris Dick, who failed to control the ball to allow the Baddeley number six in.

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