Tonight's game between Birtley Town and Stokesley SC has taken on an added significance after both teams maintained their challenge for the championship on Saturday.

Despite being forced to field a weakened side, Birtley had no difficulty seeing off the challenge from Barnard Castle Glaxo and the goals flowed from Paul Terrell (2), Carl Pennington, Mark Irwin, Anthony Lynch and Craig Peel in a 6-1 victory.

Stokesley had to work hard for three crucial points at home to Jarrow. Richard Hoare gave the Teessiders the lead after just eight minutes but almost immediately Dean Patton equalised.

Hoare struck again and Stokesley went in ahead at the halfway stage but a minute after the break, the home side conceded an own goal.

Both sides pressed in search of the winner and it was Stephen Pennock who came up trumps helping to earn Stokesley the points.

Wolviston stay top of the table ahead of their final game tonight against Windscale at Metcalfe Park. They entertained another Cumbrian side Whitehaven and had to withstand the shock of conceding a goal after just 30 seconds.

Luke Thompson was the marksman and it took Wolviston 20 minutes before they equalised when John Symon was left with a simple tap-in from a cross by Paul Edwards.

Symon was the provider for David Dowd on 31 minutes and the same combination took Wolviston into a 3-1 lead before the interval.

Whitehaven though never gave up and were rewarded on 52 minutes as Jon Wright took advantage of a defensive mistake to throw the game wide open.

Dowd became the hero of Wolviston completing his hat-trick after 68 minutes and with just a couple of minutes remaining, leading scorer Andy Steele headed Wolviston's fifth.

Wolviston have a two-points lead over Stokesley and both teams play their last game tonight. Birtley Town are six points adrift of Wolviston but have three games in hand and a much superior goals difference. Victory tonight over Stokesley and in their last two games against Whitehaven and Harton and Westoe would crown them champions.

In other games on Saturday, Ryhope CW signed off thumping Redcar Town 9-1 and Stephen Rochester rifled six goals. Brian Smiles, Andrew Place and Kevin Berry completed the rout with Mark Bytheway claiming a consolation for Redcar.

Steve Johnson, with a brace and Mark Radmore earned Darlington RA a 3-0 win at Ferryhill Athletic and one-time leaders Boldon CA finished 2-1 winners at Windscale whose scorer was Gary Hodgson.

Saturday's results: Barnard Castle Glaxo 1, Birtley Town 6; Ferryhill Athletic 0, Darlington RA 3; Ryhope CW 9, Redcar Town 1; Stokesley SC 3, Jarrow 2; Wolviston 5, Whitehaven 2; Windscale 1, Boldon CA 2.

Tonight's fixtures: Birtley Town v Stokesley SC, Darlington RA v Cleadon SC, Harton and Westoe v Ferryhill Athletic, Jarrow v Whitehaven, Wolviston v Windscale.