Blue Square Premier champions Stevenage Borough certainly didn`t take their foot off the gas on Tuesday night, despite sealing promotion last Saturday, which was bad news on hosts Gateshead.
A 1-0 win for the title-winners was a huge blow to the Tynesiders` hopes of avoiding relegation.
Boro defender Scott Laird sent keeper Paul Farman the wrong way from the penalty spot in the 21st minute following Wayne Phillips's inexplicable handball.
Phil Turnbull's late header almost snatched a point for Gateshead, but it flashed agonisingly wide meaning Saturday's visit of AFC Wimbledon is crucial if The Heed want to avoid relegation after just one season back in non-League foiotball`s top flight.
Oxford United moved to within a point of second-placed Luton Town as they beat Wrexham 1-0 at the Kassam Stadium, thanks to Kevin Sandwith's late strike.
With their place in the play-offs already assured, Oxford started sluggishly and could have been behind early on had veteran striker Gareth Taylor shown more accuracy with his effort from the edge of the area.
Matthew Green got Oxford going in attack and his 25-yard hit forced a neat save from Chris Maxwell, while the keeper denied Green again later on with a solid block.
Wrexham remained in the game, though, and could have taken an interval lead when Kristian O'Leary met Johnny Hunt's corner, only to see his header sail over the bar.
Sam Deering tried to put Oxford ahead from long range after the break, while Alfie Potter also did his best to inject some life into the game with a strike that fizzed wide.
Green then hit the bar as Oxford piled on the pressure and they finally got their reward when Sandwith got his head to Damian Batt's 82nd minute cross.
Honours were even in Kettering Town's final home game of the season, although the clash with Crawley Town wasn't really up to much. A draw was, without doubt, the fair outcome.
After a forgettable first 15 minutes, the game livened up with the sad sight of Ian Roper limping off after a collision with Charlie Ademeno.
Roper had claimed three of the four player of the year awards ahead of kick-off but it seems his season may well now be over – it could even be the last time he will be seen in a Poppies shirt depending on how discussions over new deals go in the next seven days.
And almost immediately, Ademeno was pulled back in the area by James Jennings and Danny Forrest sent Nathan Abbey the wrong way from the spot.
The Poppies struggled to get into any rhythm and their only attempt of any note saw Marcus Kelly's strike deflected away for a corner.
Hopes weren't exactly high for the second half but it took just 6 minutes for the Poppies to draw level.
Jennings swung in a free kick and John Dempster, who was named the fans' player of the year before the game, headed home from close-range for his second goal of the campaign.
The goal was the lift Kettering needed and they went on to dominate possession, without ever really creating any clear-cut chances.
Indeed, Abbey was forced to save at the feet of Forrest, while Kelly forced Nick Jordan into his first real action with a low drive.
James Dance saw a late effort blocked but a winner for either side would have been harsh.
Michael Wylde scored the goal that secured Tamworth's survival against AFC Wimbledon at Kingsmeadow.
Midfielder Wylde slotted home from close range in the 26th minute after being teed up by Neil MacKenzie to give his side only their second away win in nine games.
The home side nearly equalised through Nathan Elder's speculative header but keeper Danny Alcock was equal to it.
The Dons almost snatched a point late on, but Luke Moore's last-minute free kick flew over the bar.
A Jason Walker brace helped Barrow come from behind to claim a 2-1 win over Kidderminster Harriers at Aggborough.
Barrow keeper Stuart Tomlinson was forced to make a fine save from Chris McPhee before the hosts took the lead after 7 minutes when Paul Edwards put the ball into his own net.
However, Barrow drew level when Walker`s close-range low strike beat Jasbir Singh in the 18th minute.
Brian Smikle headed against the post as Kiddy pushed forward but it was the visitors who took the lead when Walker grabbed his second with a header 2 minutes before the interval.
Singh produced a fine save from Andy Bond to keep the deficit to just one goal, while at the other end Tomlinson saved well from another McPhee header as Barrow held on for the win.
Four goals in a stunning 8-minute spell after the half time interval helped Salisbury City to a crushing 4-1 win over Altrincham at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.
The opening stages had little to offer by way of goalmouth action and the first genuine effort did not arrive until 17 minutes in when Altrincham's Robbie Williams fired wide.
Team-mate Nicky Clee tried his best to open the scoring with a similar effort, before Salisbury's Matty Tubbs twice went close.
First he saw his close-range drive deflected away by Williams, before another six-yard hit was brilliantly tipped away by Stuart Coburn.
Salisbury's improvement continued into the second half and they took the lead with 49 minutes on the clock, with Sean Clohessy drilling in his second goal of the season from just inside the area.
They doubled their lead just 2 minutes later, with Jake Reid making it three in three games with an almost carbon copy of Clohessy's opener.
With Altrincham reeling, Tubbs made it three just over a minute later as he lashed home a loose ball to make it thirty for the season, and goal number thirty-one followed 3 minutes before the hour-mark as he nodded home Reid's cross.
Chris Senior nicked a consolation for Altrincham, converting Colin Little's pass deep into injury-time.
