Bishop Auckland chairman Terry Jackson says their decision to groundshare with Spennymoor was for the good of the club.

Bishops, who have been groundsharing at Shildon for two seasons, faced being relegated to the Northern League or the Northern Counties East League if they didn't have a UniBond standard ground to play on next season, even if they finished in a promotion place.

The main stumbling block at Dean Street was the size of the referees' room, which is 1.08 square metres below the standard required for the UniBond League.

Jackson, who has been working hard on the sale of Kingsway and the Tindale Crescent project, said: "We have made the decision that reflects the only thing that matters, and that's the team.

"From a business perspective we could have just settled for relegation, because that would have enabled us to fully concentrate on the Tindale Crescent project, but the board of directors are also fans, and we wanted to ensure that manager Brian Honour and his team could continue at this level."

Honour said: "We can focus entirely now on winning promotion, because there was uncertainty before."

Bishops have signed a two year groundshare agreement with Spennymoor, but there is a clause in the deal which allows them to leave after a year and move to Tindale Crescent, if and when the new ground is ready for the start of the 2005-06 season.

Spennymoor, meanwhile, are quite happy with the arrangement, and it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that both teams might be playing in the same division next season.

Moors could be signing a new midfielder before tomorrow's home game with Stalybridge. Manager Tony Lee isn't making the player's name public, but he is currently playing for a Northern League club.

The FA have confirmed to the UniBond League that if the league champions don't reach the standards required for the Conference, then the second placed club will be eligible, subject to the same conditions. Only Barrow of the leading UniBond clubs reach Conference standard.

Midweek results: Premier Division: Alfreton 2 Harrogate Town 0, Barrow 0 Vauxhall Motors 1, Gainsborough 2 Altrincham 3, Lancaster 2 Stalybridge 1, Marine 0 Ashton United 2, Whitby 1 Bradford PA 0

First Division: Bishop Auckland 2 Gateshead 1, Witton Albion 0 Bamber Bridge 0, Kendal 0 Workington 5, Lincoln United 2 Bridlington 0, Matlock 1 North Ferriby 1, Rossendale 0 Chorley 0

TOMORROW'S fixtures: Premier Division: Alfreton v Marine, Altrincham v Bradford PA, Blyth v Southport, Burscough v Hucknall, Droylsden v Wakefield and Emley, Harrogate Town v Barrow, Lancaster City v Ashton United, Radcliffe Borough v Gainsborough, Runcorn v Frickley, Spennymoor v Stalybridge, Whitby v Vauxhall Motors

First Division: Belper v Kendal, Bridlington v Workington, Chorley v Farsley Celtic, Gateshead v Leek, Guiseley v Bishop Auckland, Hyde v Matlock, Lincoln United v Rossendale, North Ferriby v Bamber Bridge, Prescot Cables v Colwyn Bay, Stocksbridge v Kidsgrove, Witton Albion v Ossett Town.