Horden striker Chris I'Anson is having a trial at Premiership club Birmingham City. He's been outstanding this season and has scored some superb goals which have had the scouts on red alert.

And after he scored twice against Bedlington last Saturday, Birmingham offered the youngster a week's trial.

Horden boss Tommy Garside said: "Birmingham contacted me on Sunday morning, and asked if they could take him for a few days.

"We agreed, so he played in part of their reserve match against Wolves on Tuesday, and then he trained with the first team.

"And they must have seen something in him, because now they're thinking about asking him to go back for a month.

"We're delighted for him. He's capable of playing at a higher level. He's not the finished article, but he's got plenty of good qualities."

Garside is hoping that I'Anson, who scored the winner in last season's Durham Challenge Cup final, will return in time for their away game at Penrith tomorrow.

Durham City have appointed Neil Hixon as assistant manager to Billy Cruddas.

Hixon, who played under Cruddas in his playing days, quit as manager of Seaham just hours before they were due to play at Hebburn in a Second Division game on Wednesday night.

Cruddas said: "I've known Neil for a lot of years, and obviously we've kept in contact, especially as he's been in management.

"We're still keeping Dickie Ord as coach - he's still got a very important role."

Hixon's assistant, Rob Brook, was in charge for Wednesday night's game, which Seaham lost 3-2.

Durham have signed midfielder Carl Heiniger from Bishop Auckland. The youngster was part of the Team Bath outfit which reached the first round of the FA Cup last season, and he joined UniBond League Bishop Auckland a fortnight ago but was unable to break into the side.

Crook chairman Steve Buddle thinks that striker David Snow has a great future ahead of him.

Twenty-year-old Snow, a Crook lad, joined the club last season from Willington, and this season is one of the leading scorers in the Second Division. Last week he scored a hat trick against Murton last week.

Buddle said: "I personally think that he will score 25 goals for us this season.

"The team around him is improving all the time, so the service should improve, and with his pace, he should score a few more goals.

"He has a great talent and is learning all the time from the experienced players around him, such as Paul Dalton , Les Langley and Kevin Scott.

He scored 14 goals last season, and already he's got five, so he's well on target to reach last season's total.

"He really wants to play for the club. because he's from the town. "He's cost our former manager, Dennis Pinkney, a few bob, because Dennis promised him a new set of boots if he scored a hat trick - and as soon as he did it a fortnight ago he went out and bought a pair."

Hebburn's home game with Newcastle Blue Star has been switched to tonight because their ground is being used tomorrow for a cricket match.

Washington Nissan manager Wilf Constantine has demanded a big improvement from his side.

Nissan were thumped 4-0 at Consett last week, and Constatine was far from happy.

"There were too many mistakes. I must have a lot of improvement otherwise certain players won't be stopping at the club."

Constantine got the response he wanted at his old club Seaham Red Star on Saturday, when Nissan won 3-2 thanks to a last minute goal from Michael Dibie. Making his debut in the same game for Nissan was John Tiplady, signed from Eppleton.

And Nissan bettered that performance on Tuesday, when they went to Constantine's old club, Easington, and thrashed them 6-1.

Meanwhile, Constantine has agreed to place defender Chris Bulmer on the transfer list at his own request

Willington have signed former Sunderland youngster Carl Shippen, who trained with UniBond League club Spennymoor during the summer. Shippen scored one of the goals which set up Willington for their first win of the season, by 3-1 over Whickham last Saturday.

Chester-le-Street manager Stuart Sherwood will be an absentee from matches for the foreseeable future, because of a hip replacement operation. His assistant, Tony Heslop takes over for the time being, but Sherwood isn't all that far away. General manager Joe Burlison said: "He phoned me on my mobile three times during the game last Saturday!"

Marske manager Peter Bell has appointed Dave Tate as his assistant, with Micky Ward as coach.

Tate was manager of Redcar Town two seasons ago, and has plenty of Northern League experience. Ward was previously a crowd favourite at Mount Pleasant.

Newcastle Blue Star manager Warren Teasdale has signed his old Bedlington teammate, Richie Bond, and he made his debut in the 8-2 thrashing of Easington last weekend. Bond and Teasdale were both part of the Bedlington squad which reached Wembley two years ago.

Brandon manager Kenny Lindoe reckons that the champions aren't firing on all cylinders just yet.

Brandon have lost two of their six league games - to Durham and Dunston - and are third in the table behind Shildon and Horden.

And now Lindoe is looking for a quality performance at Clitheroe tomorrow in the FA Cup.

"We know that Clitheroe are a good side, because they beat Bedlington last season," he said.

"Hopefully our players will respond to the challenge."

Lindoe has also been given a boost by the news that full back Anth McStea has turned down an approach from UniBond League club Spennymoor.

Northallerton manager Paul Burton blamed his side's inexperience for their collapse against Newcastle Benfield Saints last Saturday.

Burton saw plenty of Northern League experience with Shildon, South Bank and Whitby, and was appointed manager during the summer.

He brought several players with him from his old club, Teesside League Nunthorpe, and he said: "We were leading 3-1, and then lost 4-3 because of inexperience. We didn't know how to close the game down, so we must learn from our mistakes.

"There were still plenty of plus points in the performance, and having said that, Benfield Saints were a good side."

Mark Cameron has been appointed manager of First Division Morpeth after the club had a poor start to the season.

Prudhoe manager Gavin Liddle has been turning out for his side in recent weeks.

Forty-year-old Liddle, who played in the Football League for Darlington, has been forced to put his boots back on again because of injuries at Kimberley Park.

"I played against Morpeth in the Cup, and against Northallerton in the league, and I was absolutely shattered on both occasions.

"Mind you, I played in a veterans' game on the morning of the Morpeth match!"

Murton have signed veteran keeper Barry Goodwin from Shotton. Goodwin is one of the oldest registered players in the league at the age of 46, and has played for several Northern League clubs. He was with Eppleton last season.

The draw for the preliminary round of the Albany Durham Challenge Cup, to be played on or before October 4, is: Gateshead Reserves v Eppleton, Consett v Hebburn, Esh Winning v Durham City, Seaham Red Star v Hartlepool United, Washington Nissan UK (Wearside League) v West Auckland, Ferryhill v Darlington RA, Peterlee v Jarrow, Harton and Westoe v Annfield Plain, South Shields v Ryhope CW, Cleadon v Crook Town, Washington Nissan v Darlington, Chester-le-Street v Easington, Ryton v Norton, Evenwood v Shildon, Billingham Town v Brandon, Shotton v Kennek Ryhope CA

The draw for the second qualifying round of the FA Vase on September 20: Easington v Worsborough Bridge, Tow Law v Ossett Albion, Poulton Victoria v Prudhoe, South Shields v Washington Nissan, Horden v West Allotment, Newcastle Benfield Saints v Thornaby, Alnwick v Peterlee, Billingham Synthonia v Penrith, Squires Gate v Whickham, Guisborough v West Auckland, Tadcaster Albion v Esh Winning, Atherton LR v Ashington, Murton v Bacup Borough, Consett v Sheffield, Colne v Chester-le-Street, St Helens v Hebburn, Crook v Padiham, Newcastle Blue Star v Hallam, Atherton Col v Dunston, Seaham Red Star v Alsager, Harrogate RA v North Shields, Shildon v Salford City

Fixtures - Tonight

Division Two: Hebburn v Newcastle Blue Star

Tomorrow

FA Cup first qualifying round: Armthorpe v Whickham, Ashington v Ramsbottom, Chester-le-Street v Murton, Clitheroe v Brandon, Dunston v Billingham Town, Durham City v Shildon, Fleetwood v Bedlington, Skelmersdale v Consett, Stocksbridge v Prudhoe, Thornaby v Guisborough, Winsford v Marske United

Division One: Billingham Synthonia v Esh Winning, Jarrow Roofing v Whitley Bay, Penrith v Horden, Peterlee v Washington, Tow Law v Morpeth

Division Two: Kennek Ryhope CA v Northallerton, Newcastle Benfield Saints v Shotton, Norton v Alnwick, Seaham Red Star v Evenwood, Washington Nissan v South Shields, Willington v Easington.