Guisborough finally found their shooting boots as they boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation by thumping Peterlee 7-1 on Saturday.

Guisborough are still bottom of the table this morning, but only five points cover the bottom seven clubs.

Manager Steve Corden said: "It was one of those games in which everything we hit seemed to go in. We weren't six goals better than them.

"We haven't been finishing like that at all this season, and it was nice to be on the right end of a result like that.

"It was a weight lifted off the lads' shoulders when we went a couple of goals in the lead."

Guisborough scored only once in the first half, when Lee Alexander set up Darren Sankey to score from close-range.

Alexander scored twice in identical fashion in the space of a couple of minutes at the start of the second half, bursting clear and beating Peterlee keeper Paul Newton.

He completed his hat-trick with a diving header, then Mark Sunley tapped in the fifth.

A cross from Peter Masters was put into his own goal by a Peterlee defender, and then Steve Ritchie fired the seventh.

Peterlee scored a late consolation through John Amos.

Dunston are now top of the First Division after a 3-0 home win over Tow Law, who are now just one point above the relegation zone.

Tow Law twice went close before Dunston took the lead after 27 minutes, Michael Pitt scoring with a shot into the bottom corner from a pass by his brother Ritchie.

Former Tow Law player Steve Pickering made it 2-0 soon after when he finished off a right wing move.

Tow Law had plenty of pressure in the second half, but they were finished off after 86 minutes when Dunston substitute Ben Thompson charged down a clearance by Tow Law keeper Andy Colling and rolled the ball into the net.

Billingham Synthonia are second, after a close 1-0 win over West Auckland. In a game of few chances, Richie Gaston fired his second goal of the season from 25 yards after 55 minutes. Synners then used all their subs because of injuries.

The two sides meet again on Tuesday in a Durham Challenge Cup tie at West Auckland.

Durham City are third, with a worse goal difference than Synners, after a 4-2 home win over Horden. However, in the process they lost striker Glen Robson with a suspected cruciate ligament injury.

Horden led after 35 minutes with a low shot from Lee Dixon, and they looked as if they might hang on until Durham came to life in the last 12 minutes.

Stephen Stewart was fouled inside the area after 78 minutes and Michael Mackay scored from the spot kick, and then Mark Patterson set up Paul Chow to fire into the top corner from 25 yards to put them into the lead.

Mackay, with a clever piece of skill, opened up the Horden defence for Stewart to score the third, and then Chow turned quickly on the edge of the area and scored the fourth.

Horden pulled a goal back through Rob Huntley in the dying seconds.

Chester-le-Street beat Esh Winning 3-2 thanks to a hat-trick from Phil Bell.

He gave Chester the lead after ten minutes when he lobbed Lenny French, but Esh equalised when Andy Cuthbertson beat two men and then Ian Aitken in the Chester goal. Bell restored Chester's lead with a tap in, although Esh claimed offside, then he completed his hat-trick with a powerful shot.

David Lee pulled a late goal back for Esh.

Bedlington are still in touch with the leaders after a 1-0 home win over Thornaby.

The visitors missed some good chances through Neil Campbell and Richie Storr, before Bedlington hit the woodwork through recent signing Gareth McAlindon and Keith Douglas.

But it was Douglas who broke the deadlock after 72 minutes when he scored from a pass by sub Craig Bryce.

Whitley Bay kept their first clean sheet of the season when they won 3-0 at Morpeth. Paddy Little put them in front from a Lee Bell cross after 16 minutes, and Brian Rowe made it 2-0 after 57 minutes with a header from a corner. Veteran Steve Cuggy added the third with a shot that deceived Morpeth keeper Michael Crammond.

Brandon are now unbeaten in six league and cup games after they won 4-1 at Consett, their first ever win at Belle Vue.

Consett took the lead when Jamie Arthur turned a Rob Butler shot into his own goal after 39 minutes, but Brandon equalised at the other end with an own goal by Consett defender Neil Hood.

Brandon took control at the start of the second half. Kevin Hamilton put them into the lead with a header from Dale Crawford's cross, then Craig Coates got the third from a Dave Fort pass. Arthur then achieved the feat of scoring at both ends from a Hamilton assist.

The match between Shildon and Jarrow Roofing was abandoned after 63 minutes because of a 20 minute delay owing to Shildon keeper Liam Lowe collapsing. He went to hospital, and is now recovering. The score was 1-1 at the time.

In the second division, leaders Prudhoe suffered their first defeat of the season when they lost 2-1 at home to North Shields.

Shields took the lead through Steve Hamil after a long throw was flicked on, and they went further ahead when Andy Bowman fired into the bottom corner. Prudhoe pulled a goal back through Steve Mason.

Second placed West Allotment also lost, by 3-1 at home to Northallerton. Steve Cochrane and Ross Foreman scored for Northallerton in the first half hour. Michael Chilton pulled a goal back for Allotment, but Stuart Jackson made sure in the second half.

Crook Town, who have signed striker Jonathan Milroy from West Auckland, ended a run of four straight league defeats when they beat Seaham Red Star 4-2 at the Millfield.

Lee Ellison put them into the lead from a free-kick, then Darren Harrison got the second when he rounded the keeper. Ellison scored another with a shot on the turn, then substitute Milroy set up David Bainbridge for the fourth. Seaham pulled late goals back through Robert Swan and Lee Peachey.

Newcastle Blue Star are now fifth after they won 4-1 at Norton. The home side were in the lead with a Liam Aldridge penalty, but Star hit back through Lewis Tait, Mark Fenwick (two) and Michael Fenwick.

Easington and Willington are now stranded in the bottom two.

Easington lost 3-1 at Kennek Ryhope CA, for whom Cameron Marshall (two) and David Taylor scored, before John Sproates replied for Easington.

Willington lost 5-0 at Hebburn, who are third bottom with a six point cushion over the other two. David Stephenson (two), Paul Donaghie, Rob Marsden and Paul Wilson all scored for Hebburn.

Penrith and Washington drew 1-1. Steve Rooke put Penrith into the lead, but Owen Peterson equalised.

Marske ended a poor run of form when they beat South Shields 2-1. Mark Farrell and Gary Shardah put them 2-0 up before Graeme Matthewson replied for Shields late in the game.

Alnwick beat Whickham 4-1. The visitors led through Tommy Scott, but Paul Lang (two), Ian Common and Mark Cockburn hit back for Alnwick.

Washington Nissan clinched a place in the last eight of the Durham Challenge Cup when they won 7-0 at Birtley. Gavin Cogdon (hat-trick), Anthony Lund, David Tait, Ian Matthews and Jonathan Constantine scored.

The draw for the quarter finals is: Dunston v Washington Nissan, Gateshead or Durham v West Auckland or Billingham Synthonia, Washington or Spennymoor v Crook, Brandon v Hartlepool United.