A five-goal second half blast kept Brandon hot on the heels of leaders Bedlington when they crushed Peterlee on Saturday.

With champions Bedlington looking close to their best again, the pressure is on Brandon to win matches, and they responded to a half-time roasting from manager Kenny Lindoe.

"The players responded well, and scored some good goals," said Lindoe. "It was nearly a carbon copy of the game we had with Peterlee last week, but once we got in front, we were always going to win."

Central defender Chris Neil set the ball rolling after 49 minutes when he scored from six yards after Robbie Marsden pulled the ball back, then John Ewart curled the second from the edge of the box.

Ewart made it three when he raced clear and rounded the keeper, with Rob Marsden scoring the fourth from a pass by sub Chris Copeland. And Ewart completed his hat-trick from the spot in the dying minutes after Dave Robson was brought down in the box.

Because of the defeat, Peterlee dropped to second bottom on goal difference.

Leaders Bedlington easily won 6-1 at Jarrow Roofing, ample revenge for their defeat on the opening day of the season.

The new striking partnership of Roy Allen and John Milner brought four goals between them.

Christian Graham fired Bedlington into an early lead, then Milner headed home a free-kick from Graham.

Allen raced through for the third just after half-time, and even though Gerard Quinn pulled a goal back, Allen made it 4-1 from close range.

Allen set up Milner for his fifth, and he also opened up the defence for Tony Chapman to complete the scoring.

West Auckland are now sixth after they beat Marske United 4-1 at Darlington Road.

West hit Marske with three goals in the first 20 minutes.

They took the lead after just eight minutes when Phil McGuire crossed for James Lang to volley home, then McGuire fired the second from the edge of the box from a Jonathan Milroy pass.

After 17 minutes Milroy was tripped in the area, and Michael Carter tucked away the penalty.

Paul Stout got the fourth from a free-kick by former Sunderland player Steve Agnew midway through the second half, then Greg Booth scored a consolation for Marske.

Tow Law bounced back to form with a 4-0 home win over bottom club Newcastle Blue Star - their first three goals coming inside seven minutes.

After a goalless first half, Tow Law took the lead after 53 minutes when Scott Nicholson was fouled in the area, and he tucked away the resulting penalty.

Paul Richardson then created the second, with a pass for Peter Maughan to slot past the keeper, then Richardson scored the third from a Gavin Naylor pass.

Scott Thompson beat the offside trap to score the fourth after 83 minutes to put the Lawyers into eighth place.

Consett are still in trouble after they lost to a late goal at Billingham Synthonia, who moved into third place.

Synners took the lead after 13 minutes when David Wells scored from a Tony Wood pass, but Consett fought back to equalise just before half-time with a long-range free-kick from Andrew Thompson.

Neil Radigan quickly restored Synners' lead with another free-kick, his second goal in successive games, but Consett levelled again through Lee Suddes, who beat three men and fired home.

Just as it looked as if Consett would hold on for a valuable point, Mark Swales fired the winner for Synners.

In the second division, leaders Washington Nissan are now six points clear at the top after they won 4-0 at Evenwood.

Both sides had a man sent off. Evenwood's Adam Reid was shown a red card for swearing, then Nissan sub Paul Robertson was sent off for two bookable offences late in the game. Adam Johnston, the division's leading scorer, now has 21 goals to his name after scoring one, with Gavin Cogden (2) and Michael Heckley getting the others.

Seaham Red Star ran riot at Whickham, winning 7-3. Three players: Stuart Morris, John Harrison and Colin Wright all scored two apiece.

Alnwick won only their second game of the season by beating Crook 5-2, but they are still bottom of the table.

Ashington also scored four away from home without reply, at Norton.

Four matches in the Second Division were postponed, while another, the game at Murton, was abandoned because of floodlight failure.