Brandon manager Kenny Lindoe thought that his side produced one of their best performances of the season to remain top of the table with a 4-2 win at Guisborough on Saturday.

Brandon bounced back from their midweek defeat at the hands of Billingham Synthonia to open up a three point lead at the top.

"I was less than happy with our performance in midweek, but I thought we were different class on Saturday," said Lindoe.

"The pace of Dave Robson and Steve Huggins was a big advantage for us.

"The win gives us a lot of encouragement, and hopefully we've come through a sticky period."

Brandon took the lead early in the game when Dave Robson intercepted a poor back pass and rounded the keeper, and that was followed by a second from Mark Patterson, who lobbed the keeper from the edge of the box.

They could have added a third, but Guisborough pulled a goal back with a Darren Mowbray penalty after a foul by Chris Neil on John Outhwaite.

But Brandon restored their two goal advantage on the hour when Huggins fired his sixth league goal of the season from a John Ewart free kick. Andy Cuthbertson got another from the spot after Huggins was tripped, and Mowbray pulled another back with a header from Outhwaite's cross.

Consett are off the bottom of the First Division after they crushed Esh Winning 5-1 at Belle Vue.

But they had to come from behind for victory. Gary Messer gave Esh an early lead from a Steve Burns cross, and Consett levelled after 31 minutes when Colin McLeod scored from close range after Tony Halliday's shot was blocked.

Lee Suddes put Consett into the lead from Chris Hodgson's cross two minutes later, but both sides were reduced to ten men when Consett's Johnny Brown and Esh's Jamie Howe were sent off for violent conduct.

Consett adapted better, and went 3-1 up when McLeod scored with a header from a Suddes cross, then sub Darren Grimes scored the fourth with his first touch of the ball. Esh defender Neil Emerson put an Andrew Thompson cross into his own net for the fifth.

Shildon crushed managerless Peterlee 6-0 at Dean Street.

It took them half an hour to open the scoring, when Gary Barnes played a one-two on the edge of the box and fired home. Danny Richmond got the second thanks to a deflected shot.

Richmond volleyed the third just after half time, then Barnes quickly added two more from close range to complete his hat trick. Lee Ellison scored the sixth from a Neil Burn pass late in the game.

Champions Bedlington had two men red-carded in their 1-1 draw at West Auckland.

Bedlington had Steve Boon sent off for a foul, and then Dean Gibb for swearing in the second half, but they looked like hanging on to a one goal lead until the last minute, when a long throw by James Lang was flicked on by Roy Allen for sub Andy Turner to force home.

Bedlington took the lead just after half time, when Tony Chapman crossed for John Milner to score his eighth league goal of the season from close range.

Tow Law bounced back to form with a 4-1 home win over Prudhoe, with Andy McKenna scoring his fourth hat trick of the season in all competitions.

McKenna had a hand in the first goal when his low cross was turned in by Kraig Wilkinson, and just before half time Scott Nicholson set up McKenna for the second.

Dale Telfer pulled a goal back with a deflected shot after 52 minutes, but McKenna made it 3-1 when he raced clear and beat Andy Clark. He fired another near the end to complete the scoring.

Washington are now bottom of the table after they were beaten 2-0 at home by Billingham Town.

Town missed several chances before they took the lead after 48 minutes, when Neal Bishop, who has re-signed for the club from Gateshead, picked up a pass from Dave Turner and beat Micky Norris in the Washington goal.

Carl Chillingsworth scored a deserved second with a shot from the edge of the box after 75 minutes.

Town striker Paul Rowntree has asked to go on the transfer list at his own request.

Marske United are now unbeaten in four matches after they won 3-2 at Newcastle Blue Star.

The home side had the better of the first half chances, but Marske took the lead after 53 minutes when Lee Alexander headed in a Sean Howes' cross, then the youngster scored a second following a defensive mistake. Howes made it 3-0 from the spot after a foul on Alexander on 83 minutes, but Star launched a late recovery, with first Micky Cunningham and then Gary Smith scoring.

Jarrow Roofing ended their slide down the table with a 2-1 win at Chester-le-Street.

Andy Blower gave the home side the lead when he beat two men and fired past the Jarrow keeper after 25 minutes, but they were pegged back after 65 minutes when Craig Nelson scored from close range.

And Nelson, who has turned down approaches from UniBond League clubs, scored the winner two minutes later when he scored from 30 yards.

Billingham Synthonia dropped to fourth place after they lost 1-0 at Morpeth, Colin Lawton scoring the winner ten minutes from the end.

In the second division, Whickham were knocked off the top after they drew 2-2 with fourth placed Thornaby, who came from behind twice.

Kennek Ryhope CA are the new leaders after they won 3-1 at Willington, who haven't won in the league since the opening week of the season.

David Christie scored twice for Ryhope.

Washington Nissan are second after a 3-0 win at Norton, John Wightman scoring twice.

Evenwood won their third successive game, wit h a 3-1 victory over Hebburn, Christian Dinsley scoring twice.

Ashington lost their unbeaten record when they were beaten 3-1 by Easington.

Penrith are still unbeaten after a 4-1 win at Crook Town, as are Horden after a 1-1 draw with Alnwick.

Managerless Seaham slipped further down the table after they were beaten 3-1 at South Shields.

Northallerton scored twice in the last three minutes to beat Eppleton 3-1.

Division Two results: Ashington 1 (Beherall) Easington 3 (Salvin, Taylor 2), Crook 1 (Armstrong) Penrith 4 (Jones 2, Paul, Hodgson), Evenwood 3 (Dinsley 2, Houlahan) Hebburn 1 (Houlahan og), Horden 1 (Huntley) Alnwick 1 (Swordy), Northallerton 3 (Cook, Onions, Bishop) Eppleton 1 (Goodwin), Norton 0 Washington Nissan 3 (Wightman 2, Makel), Shotton 2 (Lamb, Irvine) Murton 2 (Diamond, Dale), South Shields 3 (Hague, Haley, Tremble) Seaham Red Star 1 (Harrison) , Whickham 2 (Hutchinson 2) Thornaby 2 (Driscoll, Storr), Willington 1 (Taylor)Kennek Ryhope CA 3 (Davison, Christie 2.