Chester-le-Street take on Bedlington tonight in a Friday night experiment.

Chester approached Bedlington a month ago about bringing the game forward, and they are hoping for a big crowd at Chester Moor against the league leaders.

Chester manager Stuart Sherwood said: "We reckon that by switching the game to a Friday night, we'll be able to get more people in, plus as well the following day everybody can go and watch Durham City in the Vase if they want to."

Tow Law striker Kraig Wilkinson has turned down a possible move to UniBond League club Bishop Auckland. Tow Law manager Graeme Forster said: "Kraig has told me that he is quite happy where he is."

The bad weather virtually decimated the programmes last Saturday and in midweek programmes, and that is going to leave some teams with the prospect of playing three games per week later in the season. The April fixtures have been distributed to clubs, and the league is set to finish on the last Saturday in April, the 27th. However, four clubs still have sixteen matches to play in the last eight weeks of the season, while Durham City and Tow Law still have seventeen matches to play. Both clubs are still in the League cup, while Durham City also have more than just a passing interest in the FA Vase.

Durham City and Whitley Bay both have their biggest games of the season so far tomorrow in the last eight of the FA Carlsberg Vase.

Durham City have their fifth home game of the competition at home to Wroxham from Norfolk, while Whitley are on their travels to Clitheroe in Lancashire.

City will be hoping that striker Lee Ludlow can add to his excellent scoring record of 37 goals in all competitions this season.

Assistant manager Derek Bell said: "If he can avoid injury, then we're hoping that he'll get fifty goals this season - with one or two more in the Vase.

"He certainly knows where the goal is. He scored 27 goals last season in the UniBond League, which was one of the reasons why we went for him.

"We must approach the game properly tomorrow. We're going into the game with plenty of confidence after this long unbeaten run of ours, but we have to remember that there are no mugs left in the competition."

Opponents Wroxham are currently in third place in the Jewson Eastern League, but have enough games in hand to catch up with runaway leaders Sudbury, who are also still in the Vase Whitley will be going to Clitheroe in high spirits, after beating previous winners Brigg in the last round. "Clitheroe are a big strong side, and we have to get at them early in the game," said manager Andy Gowens.

"We're not worried about playing away, because we've done well on our travels this season."

Clitheroe are midtable in the North West Counties League, although their games in hand can push them much higher up the table. Clitheroe are in the same league as Warrington and Mossley, who have both been beaten by Durham city in the competition this season.

"I hope that us and Durham both get through" said Gowens,"but I hope we avoid each other in the semi finals!"

Peterlee manager Eddie Freeman is adamant that there is still plenty to play for this season.

Peterlee were knocked out of the League cup last week in a penalty shootout by Whitley Bay, leaving them with just the league to concentrate upon.

And even though Peterlee are in midtable at the moment, Freeman feels that they can still make a big impression on the league.

"The league could still go potentially very well for us. There is no way that the players will be allowed to ease off during the closing weeks of the season. I'm aiming for at least a top eight place."

Bedlington joint manager Tony Lowery is delighted with the form of Dean Gibb. Gibb, a much travelled player around the Northern League, is still banging the goals in for Bedlignton as they head towards yet another title. "Dean seems to have gained a new lease of life for us," said Lowery. "He scored three last week against Washington, and really it was disappointing that he wasn't available for our Vase game against Brigg, when we lost after creating a lot of chances.

"As long as he maintains a reasonable level of fitness, we're hoping that he'll be with us next season."

Bedlignton are looking a good bet for the title - after tonight's away game at Chester-le-Street, nine of their last 13 games are at home.

However, Lowery's plans could be scuppered, because Gibb was sent off following an incident in Saturday's home win over Guisborough West Auckland manager Alan Oliver revealed that striker Roy Allen made his own decision to play against Seaham Red Star last Saturday - then scored a hat trick.

Allen has now scored thirteen goals in a fortnight to make him one of the league's leading scorers, and a crowd favourite at Darlington Road, but there was a big doubt before last Saturday's game whether he would play because of a hamstring injury

"Roy phoned me up the night before the game, and said that he needed the goals. I told him that he didn't have to play, but he insisted.

"But a week's rest appeared to do him the world of good!"

Seaham Red Star have signed veteran striker John Grady as player-coach. Grady made his name in the Northern League with several clubs, particularly Bishop Auckland and Whitby, and he has been recruited by Seaham boss Wilf Constantine in an effort to help his team away from the dreaded drop, although relegation seems inevitable after their 5-0 defeat at West Auckland last Saturday.

"John made his debut for us last week at home to Morpeth, and he did really well for us.

"He's been keeping himself fit, and his experience will be unavailable for us. We've been looking for somebody like him."

Constantine also signed another veteran, Paul Pitman, two months ago, and he said: "John and Paul are both major signings for us.