In a week overshadowed by the plight of the division's basemen men Chester, there were still 14 matches played over the last few days as the top and bottom of the league begin to take shape.

Of course, the Blues' expulsion ensured that their game with Oxford would be one of three matches postponed at the weekend following waterlogged pitches at Cambridge's Abbey Stadium and the Gateshead International Stadium.

As the race for the play off places heats up, promotion-chasing sides Rushden & Diamonds and Kettering ground out a 0-0 draw at Nene Park on Saturday. The result of the Northamptonshire derby did little for either side's promotion ambitions but was enough to keep them in the chasing pack.

Luton suffered an upset at Crawley, before sharing the points here at Field Mill last night, where two goals from Ben Smith condemned Richard Money's men to a 2-1 defeat and more or less destroyed the Hatters' outside chances of pipping Oxford, Stevenage or York to the top spot.

Both Stevenage and Oxford were in action yesterday and Boro managed to reduce Oxford's lead at the top to just single a point after thumping Eastbourne 6-0. The U's were unable to wrestle three points away from Cambridge where they were reduced to 10 men and had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

Meanwhile, Barrow and Eastbourne were able to ease their relegation worries at the weekend with wins over Ebbsfleet and York. Former Everton striker Nick Chadwick grabbed a hat-trick in Barrow's 4-1 win at Stonebridge Road whilst Eastbourne nicked a late winner to secure a 1-0 win at high-flying York. Liam Enver-Marum's 70^th minute strike proved to be enough to separate the teams and inflict a first home defeat on the Minstermen since last April.

Ebbsfleet followed up their defeat to Barrow with a battling 2-2 draw against Kidderminster at Aggborough whilst Tamworth and Gateshead were also in action at The Lamb last night where the home side ran out 1-0 winners.

Lowly Grays, who are essentially now bottom whilst we wait for Chester's results to be expunged, ended a run of eight straight defeats by drawing 1-1 at mid-table Altrincham and in the weekends other games, Kidderminster beat Histon 3-0 whilst our next opponents Salisbury shared the points with Wrexham following their 1-1 draw.

Tommy Widdrington's men added another point to their haul midweek following their 2-2 draw with Crawley.