STL Second Division leaders Newton Aycliffe brushed Birtley aside on a high scoring night in the league and cup.

They thumped Birtley 6-1, even though Birtley took an early lead through Marty Roper. Sean Davies headed Aycliffe level from a corner on 25 minutes, and four minutes later Warren Byrne put them ahead with his 19th league goal of the season. In the second half, Aycliffe were well on top. Elliott Gardner made it 3-1 from 20 yards, Stuart Owen got the fourth from Paul Broom’s cross, and ben Wood rounded the keeper. Mark Peck finished off the scoring.

Aycliffe are now eight points clear because Guisborough lost 4-1 at home to Hebburn.

They took the lead through Gary Wood, but Hebburn hit back with goals before half time through Stuart Nicholson and a Lee Bythway own goal.

Former Newcastle midfielder Jamie McGlen and Dean Walker scored in the second half for Hebburn, Marske United hammered Crook Town 8-2 at the Millfield. Former Crook striker Danny Brunskill scored in the first minute, and then went on to complete a hat trick by the half four mark. Benn Thompson added one more for 4-0, before Crook pulled two back through Andy Appleby. However, Crook’s defending let them down again when Thompson 5-2 just on half time, and at the start of the second half, Crook defender John Jury was sent off for a foul. Brunskill, Thompson and Karl Charlton scored further goals.

In the other second division games, Darlington RA had a good 3-0 home win over Seaham Red Star with goals by Paul Freary, Fred Huscroft and David Young, while Whickham won 1-0 at Washington thanks to a Graeme King goal.

Wednesday Durham Challenge Cup Gateshead 5 (Wake, Gillies 2, Briggs, Allen) Sunderland RCA 4 (Logan 3, Beasley) Northumberland Senior Cup Newcastle Benfield v West Allotment postponed, floodlight failure STL Northern League Division One Bedlington 6 (Shandran 3, Bejnamin 2, Chapman) South Shields 2 (Coe, Smith), Tow Law v Ryton postponed Division Two Birtley 1 (Roper) Newton Aycliffe 6 (Davies, Byrne, Gardner, Owen, B Wood, Peck), Crook 2 (Appleby 2) Marske United 8 (Brunskill 4, Thompson 3, Charlton), Darlington RA 3 (Freary, Huscroft, Young) Seaham Red Star 0, Guisborough 1 (Wood) Hebburn 4 (S Nicholson, Lee Bythway og, McGlen, Walker), Washington 0 Whickham 1 (King) .