Durham City manager Billy Cruddas believes that the title is now a four-horse race after the top two slipped up on Saturday.

While Brandon and Bedlington both lost, Billingham Synthonia and Durham both won to throw the race wide open.

Cruddas, whose Durham side came from two down to beat Prudhoe, said: "We've picked up 15 points from our last five matches, and that's not bad going in anyone's book.

"We're closing the gap on the leaders. Some people think it's a three-horse race because Billingham Synthonia are in the top two, but I believe that we are also right in amongst it, especially if we beat Brandon this Friday night." Durham are now in fourth place, just five points off the top.

Prudhoe took the lead after just five minutes, when Anthony Lowther fired home, and they went 2-0 up after 50 minutes when Durham keeper Paul Newton spilled a long-range shot by Iain Davison and former Durham player Wayne Edgcumbe tapped in the rebound.

But Durham came roaring back. Micky Dunwell pulled one back when he fired in off the post, then he got his 13th league goal of the season from a Lee O'Donovan cross.

And after O'Donovan missed a good chance, the striker gave City three valuable points in the last minute when he fired past Ian Clark from a Dunwell pass.

Billingham Synthonia, meanwhile, beat Chester-le-Street 4-2 to go second in the table.

Synners went ahead after 12 minutes when Neil Radigan scored from a David Wells cross.

And they added a second from a Radigan penalty after Chester defender David Turner handled on the line and was red-carded.

Wells scored the third with a chip from the edge of the box, and Lee Flanagan got the fourth from a corner.

Chester, who included new signing Lee Adamson, pulled late goals back through Andy Blower and Martin Bowes.

League leaders Brandon lost only their second game of the season, when they were beaten 2-1 at home by Billingham Town.

Brandon led at one stage with a penalty by Andy Cuthbertson for a handball offence which Billingham strongly disputed, but Brandon were reduced to ten men when Richie Pitt was sent off for two bookable offences.

Billingham, with new signing Anthony Lee in their team, equalised when a shot by Graeme Baverstock was blocked, but he set up Carl Chillingsworth to equalise. And just when it looked as if the points would be shared, David Gallagher beat two defenders and fired past Brandon keeper Ben Cole.

Five-time champions Bedlington lost 2-1 at Whitley Bay. John Milner missed an early penalty after Roy Allen was fouled, then Whitley had to substitute two players because of injury.

The home side took the lead just on half-time when recent signing Chris Taylor opened up the Bedlington defence for Andy Hay to fire past Gareth Powell.

And they went further ahead after 64 minutes when Lee-Paul Scroggins scored with a 25-yard drive.

Bedlington pulled a goal back through Robbie Cockburn, but they couldn't force an equaliser.

At the bottom, Consett are out of the bottom three after they beat fellow strugglers Peterlee 2-1 at Belle Vue.

Both keepers pulled off good saves before Consett broke the deadlock just on half-time, when Colin McLeod scored from a Gareth McKenna free-kick.

Johnny Brown gave Consett some breathing space from another set piece from Andrew Thompson, but Peterlee never gave up and pulled a goal back through a Danny Cobain header.

Jarrow Roofing's Paul Chow scored his third hat-trick of the season in his side's 6-2 romp at Esh Winning.

They took the lead after 17 minutes when Chow crossed for Craig Nelson to beat Lee Robertson, and Chow added the second with a shot on the turn to score off the post.

Nelson scored the third, and his 12th in the league this season, when he cut in from the left and beat the keeper. Before half-time, Chow scored from 12 yards.

Esh gave themselves some faint hope through Dave Mawson after 72 minutes, but Chow made it 5-1 with a header from a Steven Lish corner. Lish scored with header from a Chow assist after 84 minutes, before Marc Irwin pulled a late goal back.

West Auckland failed to score in the league for only the second time this season when they were beaten 2-0 at Guisborough.

The home side led with a close-range goal by Ben Walker after 17 minutes, and they held on to the lead against some sloppy West finishing until the dying minutes when sub John Ryan ran through and beat Simon Hall. Washington have now won five out of their last six following their 3-2 home win over Newcastle Blue Star.

The visitors took the lead through Craig Nesbitt direct from a corner, and then Paul Leavey hit the Washington bar.

Washington equalised just before the break when Ian Metcalfe scored after Paul Robinson hit the bar, and they went in front after half-time with a James Curtis header from a Keith Hutchinson corner. But Star bounced back with a shot by Chris Cavanagh, and missed a penalty through Ross Greenhill. Washington made them pay when Chris Feasey got the winner in a goalmouth scramble.

Marske have still problems winning Saturday games - they have won just one this season - after they drew 0-0 with Dunston at Mount Pleasant.

Shildon won 3-2 at Tow Law. but the match was held up for 20 minutes because referee Paul Nicholson went off with a back injury before half-time.

Tow Law took an early lead when Kraig Wilkinson scored from a free-kick from the edge of the box, and they missed a couple of chances before Shildon levelled just before the break, when Lee Hainsworth scored from the edge of the box.

Hainsworth got another soon after the resumption with a volley, and then former Darlington player Lee Ellison made it 3-1.

Lawyers missed some good chances before they pulled a goal back in the last minute with a Scott Nicholson penalty.

In the second division, Thornaby are now second after they beat second-from-bottom Eppleton with a penalty by Jamie Clark after 67 minutes, his 16th League goal of the season.

Ashington striker Alan Hogg was on target for the ninth successive game at Whickham, but then his side threw away a 3-1 lead and ended up drawing 3-3.

Easington recovered from two successive defeat to beat Crook Town 4-1, although they had to withstand a late revival by the visitors. Horden are still well in touch with the leading group after Darren Atkinson and Kevin Devine scored in the last 20 minutes at Norton.

Shotton scored three times in the second half to pick up three valuable points at Evenwood.

Bottom-club Willington collected their first points since October with a 2-2 draw at Murton, coming back from 2-0 down at half-time thanks to two penalties from Anthony Colquhoun.

Northallerton won 3-2 at ten-man South Shields, who had their keeper sent off. The replacement, Ian McQueenie, saved a penalty.