The two FA Vase semi finalists, Whitley Bay and Durham City, both have plenty to think about ahead of their big game at Hillheads tomorrow as each team has been hit by injuries.

Durham boss Brian Honour has the bigger headache. He decided to field a strong team against Peterlee in midweek, but four players picked up injuries. Former Sunderland defender Richard Ord limped off early in the game with a hamstring problem, defender Michael Canavan has an ankle injury, and midfielder Stuart Irvine a deadleg. but by the far the injury causing most concern is the back injury of prolific scorer Lee Ludlow, who hobbled off in the second half.

"We were worried about this happening," said Honour. "They will all be having treatment before Saturday's game, but as yet we don't know who will be fit."

Ludlow has scored 41 goals this season.

Honour also has a problem over another striker, Tony Healer, who had an operation on his knee last week. Healer scored the winner in an earlier round against St Neots, and will need a fitness test.

Whitley Bay manager Andy Gowens also has injury headaches. Midfielder David Carr is struggling for the big game with an ankle injury, while there were also one or two minor knocks from the game at Tow Law on Tuesday night.

Gowens deliberately rested winger John Sunderland and striker Ian Chandler, but possibly could be more worried now about his team's failure to score in their last two matches.

Tomorrow's first leg is expected to draw a big crowd of over 1,000, while Durham have already sold all their seat tickets for the return leg at New Ferens Park next Saturday.

It will also be a big occasion for Durham's assistant manager Derek Bell, who was manager of Whitley Bay during their UniBond days.

The two clubs didn't have the ideal build up for Saturday's game in their midweek matches.

Durham drew 1-1 with Peterlee at New Ferens Park.

They took the lead after 34 minutes when Ludlow scored his 41st goal of the season with a header from a corner, but ten minuets after half time, Michael Canavan put through his own goal.

Whitley Bay lost only their third away game in the league this season when they lost 2-0 at Tow Law.

They had the better of the first half chances, but fell behind after 60 minutes when Scott Nicholson scored with a header from Steve Walker's left wing free kick, then Lee Innes tapped into an empty net after a clearance from Whitley keeper John Caffrey rebounded off a defender into his path.

Dunston are now second in ANL First Division after their 4-0 win at Marske United.

Dunston now go above West Auckland on goal difference after what assistant manager Perry Briggs called one of their best performances of the season.

Andy Fletcher, Steve Mason, Lee Adamson and an own goal were Dunston's scorers.

Billingham Synthonia kept their first clean sheet in the league this season when they beat Washington 1-0, Tommy Marron scoring the goal with a header after 12 minutes.

Newcastle Blue Star gave their survival chances a boost with a 5-1 win at Chester-le-Street. Mark Telford scored a hat trick, with Warren Fisher and Paul Muir scoring the others.

Brandon won by the same scoreline at Jarrow Roofing, to plunge them into trouble.

Robbie Marsden and Micky Cunningham both scored two apiece, with David Fort scoring the other. Craig Nelson replied.

Thornaby are now stranded in second bottom spot after they were thrashed 6-0 at home by Consett. The visitors were 4-0 up at half time, all of them headers, from Alan Batey, Chris Hodgson, Johnny Brown and Colin McLeod. Hodgson and Andrew Thompson scored more goals in the last 15 minutes.

Morpeth's home game with Billingham Town was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

In the second division, Esh Winning kept their hold on the leadership with a 2-0 win at Murton, Michael Jordison and Marc Irwin getting their goals.

Easington moved into the top three thanks a late winner from Vic Holt at South Shields.

Washington Nissan are joint third after they won 5-2 at Murton. Adam Johnston and Gavin Cogden both scored two, with Owen Peterson scoring the other.

Shildon recovered from their bad run with a 4-0 home win over Norton.

They were 2-0 up at half time thanks to goals from John Outhwaite and Brian Fairhurst, and in the second half recent signing Mark Rutter and Brian Healy added further goals. Outhwaite's goal was Shildon's 100th in the league.

Willington were badly hit by player unavailability at home to Horden, and had to field six players under 18 years of age. They lost 5-1, with John Cowley, Chris Panson, John Webster, scoring to make it 3-0 by half time, and even though Chris Taylor pulled a goal back from the spot with ten minutes left, Horden scored twice in the last five minutes through Craig Lines and Darren Atkinson.

Crook came from behind to beat Northallerton 2-1. Dave Onions put Northallerton ahead in the 4th minute, and they held on to it until the last ten minutes, when Martin Blythe and David Southern scored.

Evenwood's home game with Eppleton was postponed because of floodlight problems.

Penrith beat Alnwick 4-0 in the Craven Cup after an interruption of 30 minutes during the game because one of the Penrith players sustained a broken leg.

Shildon have brought their home game with South Shields forward from tomorrow to tonight so that more people can go and watch the big FA Vase tie at Whitley Bay tomorrow.

Shildon need the points to make up ground on the leaders after falling out of the top four with a defeat by Penrith last Saturday.

Bedlington are considering an appeal to the Northumberland FA after Dean Gibb's dismissal versus Guisborough three weeks ago.

Gibb was red-carded for leaving the field of play without permission.

West Auckland are holding a sportsmen's dinner at the Manor House on April 11, with former Derby and Nottingham Forest midfielder John McGovern the guest speaker. Tickets are available from Stuart Alderson on (01388) 834211 or at the club on (01388) 834403.

The five postponements in the First and Second Divisions on Saturday almost certainly mean the season will have to be extended into May.

The league had already re-arranged a considerable number of games because of the postponements in January and February, and the last day of the season was scheduled to be April 30, but it now seems almost certain that games will be re-arranged later than that.

Washington Nissan manager Gavin Liddle reckons that his side is facing a crunch week.

After storming up the table in the last three months thanks to ten straight wins, the league's newest side are right in the thick of the promotion battle.

"We'll find out how well we're going to do in our next three matches. We've got Penrith, Esh Winning and Shildon, three of the teams who are right up there, to play in the space of seven days."

The Shildon game in particular should be interesting. In the reverse fixture at Dean Street in November, Nissan lost 11-5, but since then, they have tightened their defence considerably