Shildon manager Gary Forrest said that his team’s performance was their poorest of the season after lost 1-0 at home to Billingham Synthonia.

Forrest admits that Shildon’s title hopes have now disappeared after also losing at Ashington last Saturday, and he said: “It was our worst of the season, and we were never at the races. The players’ attitudes and commitment weren’t right, and they let themselves down. We just weren’t sharp enough, and Synners could have won the game before they did score. The title has definitely gone now.”

Shildon are still in second place, but they are two points behind Spennymoor having played five games more.

Billingham Synthonia assistant manager Lee Tucker said: “I thought that we were excellent and played with a very good intensity from the first minute to the last. I also think that some of our first time passing and movement was incisive and created quite a few problems for Shildon. The fluidity of their movement meant that we had to be well organised and disciplined which I think for the majority of the game and it was us who carved out the best chances in the game. Overall a fantastic three points.”

Synners have now gone above their neighbours Town, and are now 11 points above the drop zone.

West Auckland manager Peter Dixon thought that his side’s 3-2 win at Consett was all the better considering that they played with ten men for the last 15 minutes.

“Mattie Moffat came off injured, and because we’d used all our subs, we had to play with ten men,” he said. “It was an excellent victory against a team from the top five. People keep talking about the top five, but what about us? Is it because we’re an unfashionable club, then people don’t talk about a top six, even though we’re joint fifth?”

Bishop Auckland manager Colin Myers thought that his players were tired during their 1-1 draw at West Allotment.

“I thought our heavy schedule might have caught up with some of our players,” he said. “Some of them looked a little leg weary. But to give them credit, they held on well when allotment were throwing everything at us late in the game.

“I also thought that there wasn’t much of a flow to the game, there were too many stoppages.”

Bishops are now well clear of the relegation zone, and could even finish in the top twelve.

Marske United manager Paul Burton admitted that his side was poor in their 1-0 North Riding Senior Cup final defeat against Guisborough.

“I didn’t think the game was a good advert for Northern League football,” he said. “The quality of play wasn’t very good at all. We had played really well in the three games before the final, and if we’d played anywhere near that level, then I think we would have won. I thought both teams cancelled each other out.”

The two sides meet again on Saturday in a crunch promotion clash at the King George.