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TOW Law manager Dave Hagan admitted that things couldn’t have began any better after Lawyers ended the unbeaten home record of title challengers Whitley Bay by 2- 1.

The former Consett number two saw his new side play some excellent football to give him his second win inside four days, the other being against his old club.

“I really couldn’t have asked for a better start. When I looked at my first two games, I would have settled for two points,” he said. “The players handled everything spot on and defended really well.

There’s plenty of confidence in the dressing room, and everything’s picked up. But the players mustn’t relax, they have to beat Morpeth on Tuesday night now.”

Lawyers took the lead on 69 minutes when Mark Eccles’ effort took a deflection and beat Terry Burke in the Whitley goal. They went 2-0 up when Burke parried Andrew Thompson’s effort and Lewis Teasdale scored from the rebound.

Lee Kerr scored from the penalty spot for Whitley in stoppage time.

In the second division, where Crook Town were denied a point by inspired North Shields keeper Michael Robinson, and in the last minute scored the equaliser at the other end – his second goal of the season.

Crook looked good for a valuable three points in their promotion chase after Gavin Barton scored twice, but then the game turned.

Crook keeper David Lanning was controversially sent off for pulling down Robbie Livermore, who scored from the spot. With time running out, Robinson went up for a corner, and volleyed the ball home at the second attempt.

Crook manager Peter Dixon, who was sent to the stands in the second half following an incident with an assistant, said: “When I saw their keeper come up, I knew he would score because he’d had such a great game.”

Robinson scored earlier in the season in the FA Vase against Pickering.

Spennymoor took advantage of Whitley’s slip by easily winning 5-0 at bottom club West Auckland to go top.

Recent signing Chris Emms put Moors into the lead from the edge of the box after 13 minutes, and after Keith Graydon was brought down, he converted the penalty.

West’s Stuart Irvine saw a free kick saved, before Moors went 3-0 up through sub Chris Lawther, who ran through and beat Marc Ellison in the West goal. Lawther set up Graydon to score his 11th goal of the season, and Lawther fired the fifth.

Third-placed Ashington crept closer to the leading pair by beating Shildon 2-1. They took the lead when Shildon keeper Phil Naisbett blocked a shot from Lee Hamilton, and Andrew Johnson scored from the rebound.

Shildon quickly levelled through Bobby Moore, and were denied the lead by two good saves by Ashington keeper Karl Dryden. But Justin Keegan was red carded for a professional foul, and Keith Douglas got the winner from the spot.

Dunston are fourth after they beat Bedlington 2-0 at the UTS stadium.

They took the lead after 33 minutes when Andy Bulford cut in from the right and set up Fergal Harkin to fire home.

Dunston missed some good chances to increase their lead before Harkin grabbed his second from the rebound after Steve Preen hit the post.

Consett striker Mattie Moffat opened his account in his second spell in their 2-0 away win at Norton, who have won only once in the league in two months.

Moffat gave the visitors the lead scoring after half time, and after Consett missed some good opportunities, Moffat added a second from another Ormston through ball.

Another rookie manager, Craig Veart at Horden, saw his side lose 1-0 at home to Billingham Town, who are now well clear of the bottom three.

The winner came just after half time, when Shaun Clarke finished off a good move, but Horden, denied on a number of occasions by Josh Moody in the Town goal, had Neil Campbell dismissed for dissent.

After a win at Norton in midweek, Bishop Auckland went to the other extreme and lost 5-1 at Ryton. New signing Alex Benjamin put Ryton into the lead from the penalty spot on 12 minutes, then John Parker headed the second.

Bishop striker Adam Emson missed an open goal, and Ryton responded with two goals in ten second half minutes from Richard Logan.

Ryan Bell fired the fifth, before Darren Richardson pulled one back.

Esh Winning thought they were on their way to only their second league win of the season against South Shields when they led 2-0 at half time, but they lost 4-2.

Stuart Thompson and Danny Craggs scored twice in five minutes to give Esh a half time lead, but Shields improved.

Chris Feasey pulled a goal back with a header, and then Craig Armstrong levelled with another header from ten yards.

Armstrong put Shields into the lead with a long range shot that hit the bar and went in off Esh keeper Gareth Young, and right at the end David Graham blasted the fourth.

Billingham Synthonia beat Chester-le-Street 2-0 at Central Avenue to record their fifth successive win. Craig Perry gave Synners the lead from the edge of the box, and after Perry cleared one off the line at the other end, David Yale got the second from the spot in the last minute.

Champions Newcastle Benfield won 1-0 at Penrith and moved into fifth. Dean Nicholson netted, but they had keeper Andy Grainger to thank for two excellent saves near the end.

West Allotment ended their run of a three games without a win and a goal by winning 2-1 at Morpeth. Paul Gardiner gave Allotment the lead, but Morpeth levelled with a Dan Kirkup header, and then Gary McCartney, signed from Birtley earlier in the week, headed the winner.

In the other second division games, the new management team at bottom club Darlington RA, Micky Watson and Lee Tucker, watched their new side lose 4-1 at Marske United.

Rob Jones gave Marske a half time lead, then he set up Glenn Wesson to fire in from the edge of the box. Jones got another from close range, and completed his hat-trick from an Owen Dixon cross. Phil Caley scored a late consolation from the spot.

Leaders Sunderland RCA lost for the second time in three games when they were beaten 1-0 at Stokesley, for whom former RCA player Andy Jennings got the winner from a Bryan Stewart pass.

Jarrow Roofing are into third after a 3-1 home win over Newton Aycliffe.

Robbie Houghton put Roofing into the lead, but Mark Wood equalised with a good goal for Aycliffe. The game turned after half-time, when Elliott Gardner hit the post for Aycliffe, and Roofing went up the other end and scored through Tony Thirkell.

Michael Hepplewhite scored a third in the closing minutes.

Whitehaven stay second after a 3-2 home win over Guisborough. The Cumbrians went into a three-goal half time lead, but Guisborough hit back early in the second half and scored twice through Shane Henry and Glen Butterworth, but despite all their pressure, they couldn’t force an equaliser.

Northallerton missed a late penalty and had to settle for a 2-2 draw against ten man Thornaby. Richard Thompson and Martin Butterworth put Northallerton into a twogoal lead, but debutant Steve Purcifer pulled a goal back.

Terry Robinson crossed for Matty Crossan to equalise, and with four minutes left, Thornaby keeper Paddy Pisani saved a penalty from Northallerton’s new signing Scott Emmerson. Dean Fox was sent off for his second yellow with two minutes left.

Gillford Park are steadily climbing the table, and they beat Brandon 4-2. Mark Butler gave Gillford the lead, with Stephen Fothergill levelling at the start of the second half.

David Wallace and Sean Bannon made it 3-1 to Gillford, and after Stephen Salter pulled a goal back while Bannon made it 4-2.

Hebburn are unbeaten in four after beating second bottom Birtley 3-0, with goals from Anthony Myers, Willie Crew and Jamie Elrington.

Seaham Red Star beat Team Northumbria 2-1 with goals by Jason Kidner and Michael Pattison, while Chris Laws scored the only goal of the game for Whickham at Washington