Stevens keeps Maccabi on course for Accountants title

It leaves Flixton holding a five-point buffer but Maccabi first-team assistant-manager Tony Gellman said: "It's in our hands and that's all you can ask for at this stage of the season.

"We knew preventing Flixton winning would give us a great opportunity.

"We made a poor star and they shaded the first half. But we came back at them and dominated the second. We could have won it when Sam Hatton hit the crossbar late on and Dave Herman somehow missed the rebound.

"In truth it was probably a fair result and one we would have taken.

"Now it's down to us to finish the job and I'm backing the players to do it. They have been superb for us all season."

Flixton will be praying The Village and Sporting Manchester can do them a favour in the run-in.

But Manchester Maccabi 1st will have to do it the hard way with the likes of Adam Jackson, Louis Basso, Marc Maynard and goal hero Stevens all sidelined.

Gellman added: "We are going to be missing some key players which is unfortunate.

"So it's going to be a tall order. Whoever steps in can hopefully help us over the line."