Brian Honour has decided to return as manager of Bishop Auckland after a "frank and honest" meeting before Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Farsley Celtic.

The former Hartlepool player quit last weekend, but agreed to return to the club at a three-hour long meeting on Saturday morning with chairman Terry Jackson and other club officials.

Honour said: "We had an open, frank and honest meeting about a few things. I heard enough from everybody to see that the club is genuinely trying to move in the right direction.

"It's difficult for everybody, but as far as I'm concerned, the season starts now and hopefully performances will pick up."

Jackson said: "We're delighted that Brian has returned to the club. He appreciates the legal and technical problems we are having regarding our new ground, and that we're working our socks off to solve them.

"He's itching to get back amongst it all again."

Honour wasn't at Bishops' 1-0 home defeat by Farsley Celtic in the afternoon, so coach Micky Taylor was in charge of the side.

Farsley won with a goal by Andy Shields after 28 minutes when he fired past Bishops keeper Kevin Wolfe, but despite their efforts, Bishops couldn't equalise.

Chris Moore and Gareth Gwynne both went close in the second half. However, Taylor wasn't downhearted by the result.

"The players responded magnificently when they heard that Brian was staying but couldn't get a result. It was the right result off the pitch, but the wrong result on it."

Whitby are now up to third in the table after they beat Frickley 3-1 at the Turnbull Ground. Scott Nicholson headed Whitby into the lead, then Craig Veart got the second from a free-kick, and even though Liam Gildea was red-carded, Anthony Ormerod made it 3-0. Tom Thornton pulled an injury time goal back for Frickley.

Blyth are now fifth bottom after they lost 2-1 at Guiseley. Andy Appleby, on loan from Hartlepool, scored for Blyth.

* Horden suffered a heartbreaking exit from the FA Cup when they lost to a last minute winner against Gateshead on Saturday.

Horden fought back from two goals down and manager Eddie Freeman said: "It was so near and yet so far, because I thought we'd done enough for a replay."

Gateshead seemed to be on their way to an easy win after they went two goals up inside the first half hour. Daniel Fox, on loan from Hartlepool, scored direct from a free-kick after ten minutes, then Paul Taylor scored from the spot.

But Horden battled on, and pulled a goal back just before half time when Kevin Devine scored. And they were level soon after the restart when Devine beat the Gateshead keeper with a diving header.

But Gateshead sub Neil Wilkinson got the winner in the dying minute.