Murton chairman Tommy Torrence is launching a campaign to save the club from relegation.

Torrence, who almost single-handedly has battled to keep the club alive over recent years, is going to canvas all the other league clubs in an attempt to stop the club being relegated.

The League's management committee, after Murton's ground failed an inspection, will recommend to clubs at the AGM next month that Murton be relegated from the league, which would save second bottom Easington.

But Torrence said: "Several clubs have already phoned me giving me their support at the AGM. The league's decision to relegate us came very unexpectedly, but we're now working hard on bringing the ground up to standard."

It is understood that the ground failed on a lack of hardstanding, missing perimeter fencing, a sub standard hospitality room and its general condition.

But the league's management committee is set to stick by its guns. Chairman Mike Amos said: "All Second Division clubs were told on several occasions over the previous three years that their grounds had to be up to standard on March 31, when inspections would be made.

"When we inspected the ground, it failed in several aspects. Hardly any work had been done on it. We have no plans to make any further inspections."

Easington, are hoping that the vote will go in their favour. If Murton are kicked out, they will be reprieved.

"We're crossing our fingers and hoping," said secretary Alan Purvis.

"The issue with Murton has given us hope."

Tow Law have appointed Geoff Young and Brian Fowler as joint-managers on a permanent basis.

Young and Fowler took over when Steve Smith left the club in March, and guided Lawyers to safety from relegation with four wins and a draw from their last seven matches.

Secretary Bernard Fairbairn said: "We put Geoff and Brian in that position when we didn't know what the players' reaction would be. But we're quite pleased with Geoff and Brian."

Washington Nissan manager Wilf Constantine has paid tribute to his assistant Paul Pitman.

Pitman is one of the scoring legends in the Northern League, having helped Whitby in particular to FA Vase victory in 1997, and Constantine said: "Paul has been a great help to everybody with his experience.

"The players really appreciate him, and he has got a tremendous amount to offer the club."

Nissan finished sixth and Constantine said: "It shows how tight the race for promotion was. We went unbeaten for 16 matches, lost one game, and we were out of it."

Easington are looking for a new manager after they parted company with Peter Gresham earlier in the week.

Gresham said: "I was told that I hadn't brought the right type of player to the club, but I had to bring in a virtually brand new team when I was appointed because most of the previous players had left."

Anyone interested should contact chairman Allan Barkas at 2 Dilks Street, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, or ring 07950 391750.