Newcastle Blue Star manager Tony Lee believes there is room for improvement in his new side after their 2-1 derby win at Newcastle Benfield on Saturday.

Star are now back on top of the table after just one defeat in their opening eight away games, and Lee, in charge of his first Northern League game for over a decade, was impressed by what he saw.

"The team spirit and effort were tremendous, and it was clear that every player wanted to play for the club," said Lee, who filled the vacancy left by Andy Gowens.

"But I can see where the team can be improved, and the club have said that they'll back me. We're in a good position now, but we need to be strong enough to stay there."

Benfield's Micky Chilton had a goal disallowed before Star took the lead, when Dave Southern scored with a powerful 30 yarder into the top corner of the net, but Benfield levelled when Stephen Young scored from a loose ball after Greg Young's shot was blocked.

Star then played some good football before going 2-1 up when Southern pounced on a mistake and fired home from 12 yards.

Star have been working on their pitch during the summer, and hope to start their home games next month.

Brandon are off the bottom for the first time this season after they won their basement clash 2-0 at Esh Winning, who replace them at the bottom.

Lee Coldridge put them into the lead with a header from a right wing cross just before half-time, then after both sides missed chances, Stephen Howe picked up a through ball and got the second on 75 minutes.

West Auckland won their second game of the week, beating Horden 3-1 to move into eighth place.

West dominated the first half, and deservedly took the lead after 18 minutes through a Mattie Moffat shot. They should have gone further ahead, but Horden equalised through Chris Pearson on 48 minutes.

West recovered and regained the lead with a Danny Richmond goal, then Moffat scored his sixth league goal of the season when he raced through and rounded the keeper near the end.

Durham City boss Gowens saw his side win for the first time in the league when they beat Ashington 4-0, scoring all their goals in the first half.

They took the lead on 12 minutes when Dion Raitt crossed for Leon Ryan to head past Andrew Clark in the Ashington goal, then Garry Barnes, who played under Ashington boss Ray Gowan at Shildon, got the second with a header from Anth McStea's cross.

It was 3-0 when Danny Brunskill scored from the edge of the box and then Barnes raced away to score the fourth. Ashington haven't scored in their last five league games, and have dropped to third from bottom.

Tow Law were disappointed with a point in a 3-3 draw at Bedlington after leading 3-1 against ten men.

They took a tenth minute lead through an Andrew Thompson penalty after Nicky Martin was fouled, but Bedlington levelled with another penalty through John Milner after Steve Preen was brought down.

Lawyers went 2-1 up when David Harrison cleverly scored from a Thompson cross, and then went further ahead when Martin raced through and beat Micky Robinson in the Bedlington goal.

Bedlington had midfielder Paul Robinson dismissed for a bad foul on Stuart Niven, but despite their handicap, the home side pulled one back through another Milner penalty for a foul on Preen and then equalised in a goalmouth scramble through Preen, with the Lawyers defence claiming handball.

Shildon came from behind to force a 2-2 draw with Whitley Bay at Dean Street. David Hutchinson gave them the lead from the edge of the box from a Neal Bartlett cross, but then Whitley hit back early in the second half. Adam Johnston scored from an Ian Dixon pass, then he put them in the lead from the spot after a foul on Brian Rowe.

But Shildon kept going, and levelled when Hutchinson headed in a corner, and they nearly won it when Wayne Gredziak ran through in the last minute, but Whitley keeper Terry Burke saved well.

Sunderland Nissan had to be content with a 3-3 draw at Morpeth after leading 3-1 at one stage. Morpeth led with a goal by Lee Ludlow on the half hour, but Nissan equalised with a David Tait effort.

Darren Sankey got the second from an Anthony Lund cross on the hour, then Tait ran through and scored with a low shot for 3-1. Tait hit the bar before a mistake by Nissan keeper John Caffry allowed Wayne Edgcumbe to pull a goal back.

Michael Latimer put a penalty wide for Morpeth, who grabbed a point in the last minute with a header by Lee Picton.

Jarrow Roofing produced the surprise result of the day, thumping West Allotment 6-2 away from home.

Allotment's David Potts put an early penalty wide before he put Allotment ahead, but Roofing stormed back into the game, running riot with a hat trick by Lee O'Donovan and further goals by Ian Dixon and Paul Chow.

Dean Douglas pulled a goal back, but Andy Davies scored a sixth.

Darlington RA top the second division after they won 3-0 at North Shields.

Steven Bell beat two men and fired them into the lead in the opening minutes, but they didn't go further ahead until the second half when Paul Freary dribbled through and gave Warren Byrne a simple chance.

Byrne then scored his 18th league goal of the season when he ran through and scored.

Spennymoor played badly, but still beat Norton 2-1 at the Brewery Field.

The visitors, who haven't won yet this season, took the lead through Steve Roberts after six minutes and then missed a good chance through Liam Aldridge shortly after.

Moors levelled through Kristian Dinsley from 12 yards before half-time, and after Norton missed more chances, Martin Houlahan dribbled through and fired the winner on 70 minutes.

Crook Town won their fifth successive game with a 5-0 victory at Marske United.

Phil McGuire gave them a half-time lead, and then beat four men and chipped the keeper for the second. Danny Mellanby scored the third from the edge of the box, with subs Sam Vernalls and Jamie Harwood, with a first time volley, scoring the others.

Northallerton won for the first time in four league games with a 4-3 victory at Peterlee, but they nearly threw away a 4-1 lead. They led 3-0 at half-time with goals by Carl Chillingsworth, Stuart Jackson and John Ryan, and after Peterlee pulled a goal back through Craig Jones, Graham Williams made it 4-1.

But Peterlee, who are third bottom, launched a late revival, and scored twice through Jones and David Hopper.

The two basement clubs, Kennek Ryhope CA and Guisborough, drew 2-2.

Guisborough led 2-0 with goals inside the first 15 minutes from Richard Thompson and Gary Shardha, but Ryhope battled back to level through Ian Watson and Barry Massey.

Whickham are unbeaten in four games after a 4-1 victory at Ryton, with youngster Kenneth Boyle scoring his first goal for the club. Richard Brodie (two) and a Warren Fisher own goal were Whickham's other scorers , while Ryton scored late in the game through Fisher.