Northallerton’s ENL second division promotion hopes suffered a blow when they were beaten 4-1 at home by second placed Thornaby on Saturday – and manager Darren Trotter admitted that his team wasn’t good enough.

Northallerton conceded twice in ten minutes just before half time, then another two by the midway point in the second half before Nicky Martin pulled a goal back.

Trotter said; “Thornaby scored two good strikes from outside the area and caught us on the counter attack with two more. We weren’t good enough individually and as a group.

“We tried hard to get back into the game, but the damage had been done and Thornaby managed the game to their advantage.

“We have no complaints and the best team won on the day.”

Northallerton stay fourth in the table, twelve points behind second placed Thornaby.

In the first division, Shildon had a good 3-1 home win over Guisborough to keep them in sixth place.

Zak Atkinson dispossessed a hesitant Guisborough defender and fired past the keeper after 24 minutes, then David Palmer set up former Guisborough striker Nathan Steel to fire the second.

Ben Trotter then ran through and scored the third just on half time. Shildon kept their grip on the game after that, although Guisborough pulled a late goal back through Matty Lovatt.

In the other first division matches, Dunston UTS easily beat bottom club Penrith 4-1 to go four points clear at the top, but third placed Consett were beaten 1-0 at Seaham Red Star.

Stockton scored twice in the second half to win 2-0 at Whitley Bay and stay fifth. North Shields won 4-2 at Newcastle Benfield, and Ryhope CW beat Ashington 2-0.

In the other second division games, Durham City’s cause at the bottom is looking even more hopeless now after they lost 2-0 at home to Jarrow, leaving them 17 points behind third bottom Esh Winning with just twelve games remaining, Manager Billy Harker said; “We worked hard throughout the game but the football quality on the ball was evident and Jarrow deserved the points. No complaints.”

Willington’s promotion hopes suffered a blow after they were beaten 3-1 at Ryton and Crawcrook. They took the lead with a goal by Jacob Owen, but Ryton scored three times in the second half.

In the other second division games, Billingham Town’s 27 game unbeaten run was ended when they were beaten 2-1 at West Allotment, and also had two men sent off.

Billingham Synthonia lost 1-0 at Birtley, and Heaton Stannington won 3-0 at Bedlington.

On Friday night, Crook Town won 5-3 at Esh Winning.

Spennymoor Town’s home game with Bradford PA was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch, so their next game is at Nuneaton Borough this Saturday.

The Northern League games at Newton Aycliffe, Brandon and Redcar were all postponed because of waterlogged pitches.

In the EvoStik Premier, South Shields lost their 100 per cent home record when they were held to a 3-3 home draw by Bamber Bridge. Whitby drew 1-1 with Lancaster, while Morpeth drew 1-1 at Pickering in the EvoStik League East.