Brandon Prince Bishop won their vital home tie 3-2 against Birtley Town Reserves. Michael Fort put the Bishops ahead with a fine shot from 18 yards on 20 minutes.

Birtley levelled ten minutes later when Lee Cuthbertson curled in a shot from 20 yards. Neil Butler put Birtley in front just before the interval with a nice 25-yard drive after receiving a cross from a corner kick. Two minutes into the second half David Dickinson hit the post from a penalty kick but Paul Webster followed up and levelled for the Bishops.

The match could have gone either way with both teams cancelling each other out until Graham Stobbs pounced on the ball to give the Bishops a 3-2 win.

Durham University hit the Mallard with a 5-0 win. John Barnes (2), Jim Hudson (2)and another from Danny Close doing the damage against a poor Mallard outfit.

Although Shildon Railway won their home tie 4-0 at home to Ebchester FC they still found it hard going against a team that never stopped running. Stefan McGowan put the Railway 1-0 up from six yards after ten minutes. The second came after a nice one-two between McGowan and Neil Robson ending with Robson hitting a crisp shot into the top corner from 15 yards. The third goal came when Andrew Singlewood made a 30-yard dash down the left, before crossing for Tim Hole, who finished with a bullet header. Tim Hole was at it again, making it 4-0 after a brilliant five-man move in the 85th minute.

Simonside SC went down 3-0 away to the impressive Hartlepool Town who had all the play in the first half, but were unable to score thanks to some brilliant goalkeeping by Gary Scott of Simonside. Hartlepool finally got their first goal in the 60th minute when Chris Birkbeck crossed from the right wing to Jeff Cooper, who volleyed the ball across he keeper and just inside the post. Cooper returned the compliment ten minutes later when he pushed a nice through ball to Birkbeck who finished from ten yards. Dave Smith made it 3-0 with a fine shot from the edge of the box.

Belford House hit Durham Victoria Bridge with six of the best, putting them two points behind Coxhoe Athletic having played one game more. Stuart Burton and Kenny Taylor made it 2-0 in the first half before Burton and Taylor got another goal each with Martin Deacon and John Wardropper adding to the tally.

A 1-1 draw was a fair result between Gateshead A and the league leaders Coxhoe Athletic. A flick-on from a free kick found Andrew Peacock who gleefully put Gateshead 1-0 up on 30 minutes. Coxhoe were level on 55 minutes when Dean Smithson headed home from a cross by Andrew Richardson.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS: Belford House 6 Durham Victoria Bridge 0; Brandon Prince Bishop 3 Birtley Town Res. 2; Durham University 5 Seaham Mallard 0; Gateshead A 1 Coxhoe Athletic 1; Hartlepool Town 3 Simonside SC 0; Shildon Railway 4 Ebchester 0.