Leaders Stokesley SC suffered a shock defeat in the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup last weekend, but for the victors' manager it was all smiles at the end of the game.

David Jones, whose side is seventh from bottom, believes the result is just the fillip his team needs to move up from the bottom half of the table.

"It was a superb result for us. Let's face it, Stokesley were firm favourites and we were on a hiding to nothing, but the lads played well and deserved to win," exclaimed Jones.

Carl Short, a former Harton and Westoe player, has rejoined the club from Shotton Comrades and local lad Scott Baxter is having his first stab at the Wearside League.

Gary Frater is also playing well and what he lacks in experience makes up for in his passing ability.

"The three lads look players for the future and at the moment they are doing very well. The average age of the midfield at Stokesley, was just 17 years," said Jones.

The manager is pleased to have his son Jason and Keith Mason back in the line-up and confident the team will go from strength to strength.

"Last week's game is dead and buried. You are only as good as the last game and I know we have some difficult matches coming up starting with Saturday's fixture at North Shields, but if we maintain the form we showed last week we should quickly move into the top half of the table," asserted Jones.

Annfield Plain are another side to have showed better form in recent weeks and their narrow victory over Whitehaven last Saturday propelled them into sixth position, their highest rating for some time. Although they are unlikely to be among the contenders for the championship, the North West Durham League team could finish in a top four position. They are currently seven points off the leaders and have played the same number of matches.

Birtley Town are best placed, but their manager Dave Smith is concerned that two recent games have been called off. A few weeks ago the league game with Whitehaven was postponed as was last week's trip to New Marske for a Monkwearmouth Charity Cup tie.

"We are three games in hand of leaders Stokesley SC and are just two points behind them, but we are involved in four cup competitions and the last thing I want is a build-up of fixtures at the end of the season.

"A side can be in a very good position, but if it has to play two or three matches a week all the good work can be destroyed, so I am hoping for an uninterrupted run up till at least Christmas," said Smith.