Billingham Town must finish the season without influential midfielder Paul Dalton as the former Hartlepool and Huddersfield player plans on moving to the US.

He signed for Town in the autumn, and has turned in some excellent displays on the wing but the Teesside-born player is moving on to play in the States. Manager Allan Robinson said: "He's going there for a coaching job for a minimum of nine months. At this stage in his career, he couldn't pass it up. "He's been a great signing, and we'll be sorry to see him go - he will be difficult to replace."

Dalton will miss the rest of Town's league programme, but he was already ruled out of the Durham challenge Cup final on Good Friday because he has this season played for Dunston in the competition.

Robinson watched Bishops in action in their UniBond League game against Altrincham in midweek.

Guisborough have signed midfielder Chris Pearson from Hartlepool. Pearson, the son of Football League referee Roy, was all set to sign for Peterlee until Guisborough stepped in.

"We snatched him from under their noses," said Guisborough manager Steve Corden.

"He decided to come to us because he knew a few of the lads from his days at Hartlepool."

Tow Law have put goalkeeper Barry Poskitt on the transfer list at his own request. Lawyers have recently signed former West Auckland and Bedlington keeper Andrew Sams.

Bedlington joint manager Tony Lowery is aiming to equal a 35-year-old record by the end of the season.

Bedlington now look poised to clinch their fifth successive title after weekend results went in their favour, but Lowery isn't getting too carried away just yet

He said: "There are still a lot of games to play, and the five teams below us have still to come to Bedlington," he said.

"We want to prove that we're the best team in the league, and equal Blyth's record, when they won the league five years in a row in the sixties.

"People said at the time that it would never be done again - and we'd like to prove them wrong."

Bedlington can still pull off a double, because they're still involved in the Northumberland Senior Cup.

The Northern League management committee is inspecting the facilities of Second Division club Murton tomorrow.

The club has been told by the league to improve some of its facilities, particularly for spectators, and have been told that if they are unable to stage home games then they will be fined, and a recommendation about their membership made to the League's AGM.

Consett's ten game unbeaten run in the league, which stretches back to last November, came to an end when they lost 4-0 at Dunston on Tuesday night. Alu Bangura put Dunston ahead with a 15th minute header, then Andy Fletcher made it 2-0 from the rebound after his first effort struck the bar.

Fletcher got a third just after the interval, with Paul Hogg making it four in the dying minutes.

Bedlington are now 14 points clear at the top after they drew 1-1 at Billingham Town. Two of the most prolific scorers in the league were on target in the game.

Paul Rowntree opened the scoring for Town in the first half with a well executed shot into the top corner of the net, with John Milner levelling ten minutes from the end.

West Auckland failed to win for the third successive game after they lost 2-0 at Tow Law.

Peter Maughan put Lawyers ahead from a Marc Eccles cross after five minutes, and Kraig Wilkinson wrapped up the points from another Eccles assist five minutes from the end.

Whitley Bay suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at Morpeth, who now move out of the bottom three.

Mike Fenwick put Whitley ahead just before half time, but Jon Sutherland put through his own goal to level the scores. Former Darlington striker Paul Beavers got the winner in a goalmouth scramble after 73 minutes.

Newcastle Blue Star also did their survival chances a power of good by crushing Peterlee 6-0.

The game turned in their favour when Peterlee keeper Neil Smith was dismissed for a professional foul after 25 minutes, Ross Greenhill converting the subsequent penalty. Dale Crawford and Leon Green then scored twice inside three minutes to make it 3-0 at half time. Michael Cowan quickly made it 4-0 after the break, with Graeme McDonald and Green adding further goals. It was the first time this season Star had scored more than twice at home.

Durham City had to work hard to overcome Guisborough 1-0 at New Ferens Park. The only goal of the game arrived after 22 minutes when Micky Taylor scored from a corner, but there were plenty of chances in the game to both sides. The closest either side came to scoring again was when Durham's Micky Dunwell hit the bar.

Marske United came from behind to beat Jarrow Roofing 3-1 at Mount Pleasant.

The scores were level at half time, and after Roofing went ahead, Marske hit back with goals from Darren Sankey, Mark James and Darren Ward.

In the second division, Esh Winning are still top following the midweek games.

Second placed Shildon lost 4-2 at Horden after the scores were goalless at half time, while Penrith and Prudhoe drew 0-0.

Those results allowed Washington Nissan to move closer to the leaders with a 3-1 win at Murton, Owen Peterson and Adam Johnston scoring.

And on Wednesday night, Easington moved into the top three with a 3-2 win at Whickham Shotton won only their second game of the season when they defeated Evenwood 5-3