FK Rabotnicki have maintained their advantage in F.Y.R. Macedonia's First League, leading second-placed FK Vardar by ten points after six consecutive victories.

Excellent season
In a memorable autumn, Rabotnicki have dropped points only twice - with a home draw and defeat punctuating 12 wins - and in the past month they have beaten Vardar 1-0, FK Bregalnica Stip 4-1 and inflicted 3-0 defeats on FK Sileks and FK Napredok.

Stanojkovic arrival
In a bid to keep pace, Vardar have changed coach, replacing Brazilian Gildo Rodriguez with former player and Macedonian international Vujadin Stanojkovic. Stanojkovic, until recently assistant to national coach Dragan Kanatlarovski, started well with a 4-1 success against FK Baskimi and 2-1 win against FK Belasica GC. Latterly, though, Vardar could only manage a goalless draw at FK Shkendija 79.

Pobeda falter
Champions FK Pobeda have had mixed results. They have won just one of their last four matches - 4-1 against bottom club Napredok - drawn twice and lost 3-2 at struggling FK Sloga Jugomagnat. In contrast, FK Cementarnica 55 are on the rise after three victories and a draw lifted the Skopje side to fifth place. Above them in fourth are the season's surprise package, FK Madzari Solidarnost 92.

Štip recovery
Elsewhere, promoted Štip went three games without victory before returning to winning ways last weekend with a 2-1 defeat of Shkendija which took them to sixth place. Sileks, meanwhile, are up to seventh after collecting seven points over the last month.

Relegation fight
There are signs that Sloga, in eleventh, are slowly regaining form and could improve in the second half of the season. But Napredok, rooted to the foot of the table with only three points, look a certainty for relegation at this stage.