Goal difference is all that separates Penistone Church from first place after a week which started with a 15-second goal and ended with a frustrating 1-1 draw at mid-table Eccleshill United.
Danny Joynes netted after just 15 seconds in a 3-1 home win over Ollerton Town on Saturday but Church were held in midweek at Eccleshill. They are level on points with leaders AFC Emley after both collected 57 from their first 25 games of the season.
Church have now played all their games in a successful 2016. Despite only picking up ten points from their first nine games of the calendar year, they finished with 89 from 42 while scoring more than 100 goals in all competitions.
Although they lost in the play-off semi-final at Emley in April, they have become one of the top teams in the division and have not lost away from home in 19 league games.
"It's been a really successful year and everyone at the club should be very proud," said manager Ian Richards.
"We have only lost five games in 2016. "Our attendances have been up 15 per cent again this season. It's a great football club and we now have to make sure we finish the job in 2017 and make that an even better year.
"We would have liked to have won our last game of the year and be top for Christmas but the bigger picture is that we want to be top of the table at the end of April when the season finishes. There are five teams who will have that same ambition and it is whoever is most consistent. I am hoping it is us. We have the players, attitude, desire and experience."
At Eccleshill, Lewis Dickinson opened the scoring in the 11th minute with an excellent finish into the top right corner from a tight angle on the left side of the area. Penistone had other chances but the hosts came back into it after the break and forced Church goalkeeper Adam Rhodes into a good save before hitting the post from long range. Eccleshill eventually levelled with a header midway through the second half. United missed further chances and had several penalty appeals turned down.
Richards, whose side's next game is on January 2, said: "It felt like a loss. "We're not used to dropping points from winning positions. I'm disappointed with our performance. It was not of the same standard of the whole season.
"In a way it was a point gained because Eccleshill edged the second half but I am disappointed that we took the lead then didn't play that well. We're deflated but we're not too disappointed and I can't be too critical of the players because they have been superb."
At home to Ollerton on Saturday, Joynes put Church ahead when he received the ball from the kick-off and fired in within a quarter of a minute for his 19th of the season. Penistone also scored at the other end of the first half with Dale Kelly doubling the lead in the 45th minute with his 22nd this season. C
hurch's third came from a Dickinson penalty ten minutes into the second half after James Young was fouled. Just as they did in their previous match at Westella and Willerby, Church conceded a late consolation goal. Richards described his three scorers as 'unplayable' and added: "It was a great win against a good Ollerton side and a great way to end our home league campaign for 2016 with three points and a convincing performance."
