There was no change at the top of the table following the mid-week programme.

Leaders Wolviston together with Stokesley SC and Birtley Town all won and it is still nip and tuck in the three horse race for the championship.

Wolviston, with a two-point advantage over Stokesley SC, again won by an only goal when they visited Jarrow who lost for the first time in 10 games.

The crucial goal came from Andrew Clark in a match where chances were few and far between. "We gave another resounding performance but it was not our night," exclaimed Jarrow chairman Jimmy Kane.

"After playing 19 matches and wondering where our first win would come from, we won seven and drew two of our next nine games so to go down to Wolviston 1-0 is still a very good performance."

Wolviston secretary Keith Simpson was full of praise for Jarrow. "They gave us a very hard game and make no mistake they now have a good side which could go places next season. It was a relief to pick up the points."

Stokesley SC are still hot on the heels of Wolviston with the two sides having played the same number of fixtures. Stokesley too had to pull out all the stops before seeing off the challenge from second bottom Barnard Castle Glaxo.

Stephen Pennock and Craig Johnson scored for Stokesley and a goal by John Williams kept Glaxo in with a chance until the final whistle.

"We were glad of the three points and at this stage of the season, results are more important than performances. The three challengers are all looking over each other's shoulders waiting to hear the results but all we can do is to try and keep on winning and hope that Wolviston and Birtley Town slip up," said Stokesley secretary Peter Grainge.

Birtley Town enjoyed the easiest win of the night defeating one-time leaders Boldon CA 4-1. Paul Terrell bagged a brace and other goals came from Gareth Davidson and Kevin Tron (og). Lee Seff scored the consolation for Boldon.

Birtley are nine points adrift of Wolviston and seven behind Stokesley. They have three games in hand on both their rivals.

The run-in for the three teams is: Wolviston: Redcar Town (away), Whitehaven (home) and Windscale (home).

Stokesley SC: Cleadon SC (home), Jarrow (home) and Birtley Town (away).

Birtley Town: New Marske (away), Jarrow (home), Barnard Castle Glaxo (away), Stokesley SC (home), Harton and Westoe (home) and Whitehaven (home).

In other mid week games New Marske romped to a 7-2 victory at home to Ferryhill Athletic after establishing a 4-1 interval lead. James Kesterson rifled a hat-trick and both James McGowan and Adam Taylor scored twice. Stuart Illingworth and Stuart Cottam replied for Ferryhill.

Stanley United went down 2-1 to Whitehaven at Hill Top. The Cumbrians had the incentive of a two-goals lead inside 10 minutes when Luke Thompson and Alan McGinness struck but after John Liddle reduced the deficit early in the second half it was one-way traffic towards the Whitehaven goal.

Windscale just had the edge over Harton and Westoe winning with an only goal by Stephen Hodgson in the second half.