Shildon kept their title hopes alive when they beat Team Northumbria 5-3 at Dean Street.

The Railwaymen are now up to third above North Shields, but they are a point behind Marske having played five games more, and 16 behind Morpeth on the same number of games.

They looked set for a big win when they led 2-0 with goals by Adam Burnicle and Jamie Harwood by the 13th minute, but Andrei Ardelean put Team North back into the game.

Shildon player-manager Danny Moore made it 3-1, but Aidan Heywood replied for the visitors. Burnicle completed his hat trick, with Ben Dibb-Fuller scoring in between.

Shildon manager Danny Moore said; “It was a very good win on a difficult pitch. I was pleased for Adam Burnicle because he deserves his goals for the work he puts in.”

Morpeth are now 15 points clear at the top of the table after their 2-0 away win at Sunderland RCA.

Consett won 4-2 at Whitley Bay, and Penrith climbed further away from the relegation zone by winning 2-0 at Seaham Red Star.

In the second division, leaders Northallerton slipped up by 2-0 at Hebburn, for whom Gary Shaw scored both goals. Northallerton were denied by some good saves by Hebburn keeper Steve Hubery, and they suffered only their sixth league defeat of the season.

Manager Darren Trotter said; “It wasn’t a good performance, too many players weren’t at the races. That was down to two factors – the heavy pitch last Wednesday against Darlington RA and Hebburn stopped us from playing. I must praise Hebburn because they have outplayed us twice this season.”

Tow Law moved into second place, three points behind Northallerton with a game in hand, by beating next-to-bottom Darlington RA.

Dean Thexton put Lawyers 2-0 up with goals on 14 and 43 minutes, but managerless RA pulled a goal back through Dominic Joynes just after the hour.

Thexton completed his hat trick on 75 minutes to give him 21 league goals for the season, eight more than anybody else. Jim Wilson pulled a late goal back for the RA, who remain in the bottom two.

Tow Law manager Steve Murray said; “It was a good result in awful conditions.”

Willington have now won five league games in a row after Conor Winter led them to a 4-0 win at Ryton and Crawcrook, scoring all of their goals before the half hour mark, two of them in the first four minutes.

Manager Rob Lee said; “They were a good three points thanks to four well taken goal by Conor in the first half. I’m pleased with the football we’re playing at present, we’re keeping the ball well.”

In the other games, Thornaby beat Willington 4-2, and Whickham easily won 5-1 at bottom club Alnwick.