Birtley Town reached the final of the Wearside League Cup for a fifth consecutive season, but they needed penalties at Windscale.

The top three battle was always likely to be a close-run affair and fortunes fluctuated throughout the game. Tony Thirkell gave Birtley a dream start, scoring after just three minutes before Howard Kirkbride restored parity 15 minutes later.

He converted a 34th-minute penalty only for the visitors to hit back with a Wayne Booth equaliser on 57 minutes. There were no further goals during normal or extra time and Birtley won the penalty shoot-out 4-3.

They will meet leaders Cleadon SC in the final and they too were taken to the wire by neighbours Jarrow at Jack Clark Park.

It looked all over for the visitors as Finbar Lynch and Brian Curry put Cleadon two up inside five minutes but when Chris Liddle reduced the deficit in the 54th minute, the result was wide open. Cleadon though held on to maintain their aspirations of completing the double.

With the top three sides on cup duty, Stokesley SC and Teesside Athletic took advantage to keep alive their title hopes. Stokesley are fifth but they left it desperately late before defeating Boldon CA.

Harrison Davies put them in front on 20 minutes and after David Stephenson levelled, it appeared the game would end in a draw but with virtually the last kick of the game, Jonathan Newton struck to earn Stokesley three crucial points.

Despite a good 20 minutes at the start of the second half, Annfield Plain could not prevent Teesside Athletic from keeping alive their championship hopes.

Andrew Mitchell headed them in front after 12 minutes before two goals in as many minutes from James Kesterton and Steve Thompson midway through the second period cemented a 3-0 victory.

At the bottom, Coxhoe Athletic defeated Nissan SSC Sunderland, who were reduced to ten men after 15 minutes with the dismissal of Neil Palmer who conceded a penalty converted by Philip Lawson.

Coxhoe made their numerical advantage count romping to their best win of the season with further goals from Stephen Clifford (two) and Michael Cairns.

New Marske won the bottom five clash with Wolviston with two second-half strikes from Kirk Forsyth, the second in the last minute while basement side Ferryhill Athletic suffered a 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Cleator Moor Celtic who scored three times in the final ten minutes.

Whitehaven moved into second place on goal difference with a 2-1 victory against Ryhope CW. After Jonathan Wright had given the Cumbrians the advantage, Chris Callaghan equalised and there were only a minute left on the clock as Stephen Hewitt hit the winner.