The Albany Northern League

Constantine became the latest occupant of the Seaham hot seat on Friday, after Jim McGrath walked out following their 7-0 crushing by Brandon in the FA Cup.

He pipped several others to the post, and said: "I'm under no illusions about the job here, but I was in the same situation when I took over at Easington.

"When I went there, they were bottom of the table after ten games, Seaham are bottom after seven.

"I've started looking around for players to strengthen the team. I know what I want, but I've been told that it might be difficult to bring them in.

Northern League chairman Mike Amos could discover more about the proposed restructuring of the non-league system today.

Amos makes the long journey to Fleet in Hampshire - a "central location" as he called it - for more news and views on the system, which could see a radical structure of the system, although what effect it will have on the Albany Northern League remains to be seen.

The three Conference feeder leagues - the UniBond, Doctor Martens and Rymans - are all meeting on September 28 to discuss the proposals, which are understood to include a proposal for just two feeder leagues.

Amos has suggested in the past the Northern League could expand to cover an area from the Tweed to the Humber.

However, the process will take a long time, as the FA has said that all clubs should be consulted.

Consett manager Colin Carr has already used 24 players this season - and expects to use even more.

Carr, the longest serving manager in the League, was without nine players for Saturday's game at Washington, and had to blood some youngsters.

"I've been at Consett for over a decade, and in that time, there have only been two seasons when I've used more than 24 players.

"When we played at Guisborough in the League Cup last week, I reckoned that there were only two players in the team who had played regularly last season.

"We've done quite well considering who we've had missing, and the lads who have come in have done an excellent job, even though we lost at Washington on Saturday."

Billingham Synthonia went top of the table for a day with a 3-2 home win over Consett on Tuesday night.

After a goalless first half, they took the lead when Dave O'Gorman nodded down a David Wells corner for Lee Flannigan to turn home.

Chris Fawcett got the second, then Flannigan ran clear to score the third after 68 minutes.

Consett launched a late revival, and scored twice in the last five minutes through Jamie Routledge, one of them a 25-yarder.

Bedlington lost their third game of the season, 3-2 at Dunston.

The home side went into the lead with a Nicky Scaife goal, then Andy Fletcher himself got the second with a left foot shot.

Tony Chapman pulled a goal back just before the break before Micky Cross equalised. But Fletcher scored the winner from a pass by Paul Hogg late in the game.

Tow Law lost their first League game of the season, 3-1 at home to Durham City.

Peter Maughan gave Tow Law the lead with a near post header, but Durham levelled through Lee Ludlow from a Stuart Irvine corner.

Michael Dawson played a one-two with Stuart Irvine to score the second, and after some strong home pressure, Irvine broke away and set up Ludlow for the third.

Ashington are still bottom after they were soundly beaten by Jarrow Roofing on Tuesday night.

Steve Lish and Tony Woodhouse opened up the Ashington defence for Paul Chow to round the keeper for the first goal, then Chow nodded the ball down for Justin Perry to fire the second.

Perry got the third with a shot from just inside the 18 yard box, then after Perry was brought down, Chow scored the fourth from the spot.

Marske United continued their climb with a 1-0 win at Morpeth, the goal coming early in the game through Mark James.

Chester-le-Street ended West Auckland's unbeaten record with a 2-0 win at Chester Moor.

They took the lead after 25 minutes when Lee Maddison was fouled and Martin Bowes scored from the spot, and Bowes got the second after 55 minutes from a Adam Scope cross.

Chester included former Crook and Morpeth striker Neil Burn.

Guisborough drew 2-2 with Newcastle Blue Star at the King George. Micky Waller headed past his own keeper to put Blue Star ahead after 9 minutes, and Lee Suddes put Star further ahead with a shot after 64 minutes. Chris Knox put the ball into his own net to let Guisborough back into the game, and late on Jamie Clark chipped Ian Bennett for the equaliser.

Whitley Bay retuned to the top on Wednesday night with a 7-3 thrashing of Thornaby. They went three goals up before half time. Mark Taylor put them in front from a Steve Cuggy cross, then Keith Walton slotted the ball in for the second.

Cuggy scored the third from a Walton free kick, but Thornaby hit back in the second half. Dave Lawson scored from close range, and then got another from a George Woodhouse cross.

But Gary Middleton made it 4-2 from an Ian Milbourne pass, then Milbourne grabbed a fifth after 65 minutes. Sub Kevin Gustard helped himself to two goals inside a minute, before Andy Cole pulled one back for Thornaby right at the end.

Billingham Town continue to be Brandon's bogey side with a 1-0 win at the Welfare Ground.

Stuart Jackson headed the only goal from a corner after 39 minutes.

Washington won their second game inside four days with a 3-0 victory over Seaham Red Star.

They took the lead after 11 minutes through Paul Robinson from a through ball, then Steve Burns provided the pass for him to score the second after 40 minutes.

Burns scored a good solo goal for the third just after half time.

In the second division, Esh Winning beat South Shields 2-0, even though Micky Parkinson missed a penalty. Gary Messer and Darren Watson scored the goals for Esh.

Willington collected their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw at Norton, Chris Taylor scoring five minutes from time. Anthony Roberts scored for Norton in the first half.

Shildon still have their 100 per cent record, despite playing for all but eight minutes of their game against Whickham with ten men, after Lee Hainsworth was dismissed for swearing.

Hainsworth gave Shildon the lead after four minutes, with Whickham levelling through Danny Hill after 39 minutes.

But John Outhwaite ran through the middle to restore Shildon's lead after 71 minutes, then Nigel Bolton set him up for the third with a minute left