Crook produced their best performance of the season to topple joint leaders Chester-le-Street, a performance which had been coming according to manager Jamie Tunstall.

Crook have been inconsistent, but showing some good form in recent weeks, and they stunned the league leaders with a first half goal by Liam Jarvie.

Tunstall’s side now sit in mid-table, and he said: “We’re delighted to get three points against the league leaders. I thought in the first half hour we were excellent and deserved to be in front but Chester grew into the game and put us under a lot of pressure second half.

“I thought we defended really well as a team and our keeper only really had a couple of saves to make. I've felt that a result was coming based on the last couple of performances.”

This was only Chester’s second league defeat and manager Colin Wake said: “We dominated but couldn't score down to poor finishing and great goalkeeping. Crook were always a threat on the counter but in the main we dominated possession which is strange for us. The goal we conceded was very poor defending.

“We have played a lot worse and won, it was just one of those afternoons where I couldn’t knock the effort but decisions and quality at vital times were lacking.”

Thornaby easily beat West Allotment 4-0 at Teesdale Park to go three points clear at the top.

In the first division, Bishop Auckland were beaten by a last minute goal at home to Sunderland RCA.

Bishops missed several good chances in the first half but lacked the finish, and they fell behind to a header by Nathan O’Neill.

Andy Johnson turned on a lay off by Chris Winn to put Bishops level, and in the second half Darren Richardson had a goal disallowed.

O’Neill missed an easy header in the 89th minute, but in stoppage time he turned the ball in for the winner.

Bishops boss Ian Chandler said: “It was a very frustrating day. We missed some good chances, and losing our only recognised centre half midway through the first half didn’t help. We got hit by the sucker punch, I thought a draw would have been a fair result.”

Bishops drop to sixth, while West Auckland are eighth after they lost 4-3 at Consett.

At half time they led 2-1. Adam Mitchell fired into the bottom corner to put them in front, but Michael Sweet got the equaliser from a Max Craggs pass.

Alex Francis put West back into the lead from long range, but it all went wrong for them in the second half.

Sweet equalised from the penalty spot following a foul on Craggs, and then Craggs and Luke Carr combined for his hat-trick. Carr was again the provider for Sweet to score his fourth near the end, and also to give him seven in his last three games. Nathan Fisher netted late for West.

Consett are top on goal difference, ahead of Sunderland RCA and Hebburn.

Newton Aycliffe manager Deano Browne warned his players about a backlash at Newcastle Benfield after the home side sacked manager Mark Convery, and was proved right as they were beaten 3-0.

“It was the worst performance of the season against a side who gave their all for the new manager,” said Browne.

Former Aycliffe player Dennis Knight gave Benfield the lead from the spot after caretaker manager Paul Brayson was fouled, then Joe Robson scored a second. Brayson added a third before half time.

Stockton Town hammered bottom club Penrith 8-0, with Nathan Mulligan scoring four of them.

Seaham Red Star dropped into the bottom two because of a 3-1 defeat at Ashington, and Whickham moved above them by drawing 1-1 with North Shields.

Hebburn were knocked off the top after losing 4-1 at home to Whitley Bay for whom Jack Foalle scored in his ninth successive game.

Guisborough are three points above the relegation zone after losing 3-1 at Ryhope CW.

In the other second division games, Northallerton put in one of their worst performances of the season, losing 5-0 at Heaton Stannington, and manager Darren Trotter was furious: “We have come to the point of where something has to change.

“These are the same players who got us a fourth place position last year but have not kicked on and everyone is raising their game against us.

“We need to freshen the dynamics of the team up and re-evaluate the expectation levels of what can be achieved.”

Tow Law held third-placed Billingham Town to a goalless draw at Ironworks Road, and manager Steve Murray said: “We deserved to win. No luck, but a great performance.”

Lawyers dropped to fourth bottom, because of Washington’s 3-1 home win over promotion chasing Jarrow. Billingham are still unbeaten and are third in the table.

Willington crept closer to the leaders by beating Bedlington 4-1 at Hall Lane.

They led 2-0 with goals by Lewis Milner and Connor Winter, but Bedlington got back into the game with a goal by Ronnie Jones from a penalty rebound.

Willington kept their nerve and scored twice in the closing minutes through Jeff Smith and Dean Thexton.

Willington manager Rob Lee said: “We played some great football in the first half. We knew Bedlington would come at us in the second half, we defended well as a unit.”

Durham City won only their second game of the season by coming back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 at Billingham Synthonia, all of their goals coming from Jamie Hayman, his second and third both penalties.

Manager Wayne Gredziak said: “I have been saying that we were not a million miles away for a couple of weeks now and the players proved that we are going to compete in every game. In all honesty we deserved the 3-2 win. Our season will push on from here.”

Esh Winning were beaten 2-1 at Easington, and they drop to third bottom.

Dan Mitchell scored late on for Esh after Liam Cooke and Jack Pounder were on target for Easington.

Brandon won their first league game of the season by 1-0 at home to league newcomers Redcar Athletic, Jack Carr scoring after 38 minutes.

In the other second division games, Ryton and Crawcrook beat promotion chasing Birtley 2-1 and Washington climbed out of the bottom three with a 3-1 home win over Jarrow.

Dunston UTS pulled off the biggest shock of the third qualifying round of the FA Cup by beating former Football League club Chester 4-3 at the UTS Stadium.

The Northern League club, three divisions below their National League North opponents, showed their resilience by coming back from 2-1 down at half-time in a dramatic second half.

Manager Chris Swailes said: “At half time we said that we were still in the game, and within ten minute the game turned on its head. We know that we can score goals and we proved that. I’m happy with a brilliant win.”

They got off to a perfect start when Liam Brooks scored from the edge of the box in the second minute, but Chester hit back to score twice before half time through Deane Smalley and Dan Mooney.

Dunston levelled from the spot at the start of the second half through Mark Fitzpatrick after Jack Elliott was brought down, and four minutes later Chester were down to ten men after Danny Livesey was sent off for a last man foul.

Andrew Grant-Soulsby put Dunston in front with a header, but Chester levelled on the hour through Mooney.

However, Fitzpatrick won it when he ran on to a long ball and coolly stroked it past the advancing keeper.

Blyth Spartans will join Dunston in the hat for this lunchtime’s draw after winning 2-1 at Gainsborough.

In the Evo-Stik League Premier, South Shields beat Grantham 5-0, and Whitby beat Bamber Bridge 2-1.

In the Evo-Stik League East, Morpeth just scraped past Lincoln United with a single goal.