Ebac Northern League

Moors had swept all before them in the league this season, but Celtic Nation, with former Moors’ boss Tony Lee assisting manager Steve Skinner, battled hard, although Moors claimed that they should have had a last-minute penalty.

“I don’t think our performance warranted a win, but I felt that we should have had a penalty in stoppage time when Steve Richardson was brought down in the area, but the ref booked him for diving instead,’’ said Ainsley.

“After our great wins against Bridlington and Bedlington in the previous two matches, it was a bit after the Lord Mayor’s Show, but we don’t have a divine right to win games. We didn’t start sharp enough, and didn’t get our basics right. But we’re still unbeaten in 12 – at least we didn’t lose.”

CN took the lead when Michael Reed ran through and slotted the ball past keeper David Knight, but Moors levelled when Mark Davison headed in a cross by Craig Ruddy.

CN were reduced to nine men in the closing minutes.

David Lynn collected his second yellow, and then Chris Earl was shown a straight red for a foul on Richardson.

Whitley Bay are fourth thanks to a 3-1 win at Guisborough.

They took the lead after 20 minutes when Paul Chow scored, but Lee Bythway equalised from a long ball by Luke O’Sullivan. Whitley regained the lead when Paul Robinson was fouled, and Ashley Davis scored from the spot. Guisborough missed some good chances, and Whitley made it 3-1 when Robinson scored from a free-kick. Whitley are a point behind thirdplaced Bedlington.

Bishop Auckland are joint fourth after they won 3-1 at Marske United. Marske had more pressure, but Bishops took the lead when Dan Hawkins found Andy Johnson bursting into the box, and he slotted the ball past the Marske keeper. Bishops went two-up when Arran Wearmouth crossed from the left for Kieran Megran to tap in at the far post.

Marske pulled a goal back though David Onions, but in the dying minutes Johnson broke away and scored the third, his seventh league goal of the season.

West Auckland faced Team Northumbria and won 1-0 at the University campus. The game looked as if it was going to be goalless, until John Campbell dribbled in from the left and scored with a low shot from ten yards.

Shildon are eighth with games in hand on all the clubs above them after beating Durham City 3-1 at Dean Street.

New signing Ricky Fenwick put Durham into the lead after six minutes, but Shildon quickly levelled through Danny Richmond from a rebound off a shot by Ben Wood.

Sam Garvie ran through and scored the second from a Wood through ball after 17 minutes, and then Wood hit the post from a penal. At the end, Shildon scored a third, when Durham keeper Lewis Graham was red carded for handling outside the area, and Robbie Briggs scored from the free-kick.

Billingham Town won their bottom three battle against South Shields, 3-1 at Bedford Terrace.

Town took the lead on 38 minutes when they had two shots charged down and Danny O’Brien fired home.

However, Shields improved and Sean Sweeney equalised on 53 minutes, but Town scored the winner when O’Brien crossed for Nicky Martin to beat the Shields keeper with a shot on the turn. Town had Richie Gaston to thank for a late clearance off the line.

Consett moved up four places after winning 1-0 at Newcastle Benfield, scoring the winner after eight minutes, when Steven Aiston set up Andy Cuthbertson to fire home.

Benfield have signed striker Alex Benjamin from Bedlington – Benfield are his third club of the season.

Norton came back from 3-1 down at Hebburn to pick up a much needed point.

Hebburn scored after 38 seconds when Liam McBryde netted from a James Luccock cross, then Luccock crossed again for Tony Stephenson to score at the far post. Anthony Hume pulled a goal back from a Callum Martin cross, but Stephenson made it 3-1 from a couple of yards. Norton battled back in the second half, and Peter Bulmer pulled a goal back after a mistake by Hebburn keeper Dan Regan, then another mistake let in Callum Brown for the equaliser.

Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon has changed his defence in the last week, and his work paid dividends as they won 1-0 at Dunston.

The home side had the edge in the first half with Andy Bulford and Lee McAndrew going close, but RCA clawed their way back into the game and scored the winner with eight minutes left, when Dave Southern scored from the penalty spot after a foul on Nick Gibson. Terry Galbraith hit the Dunston post late on.

Newton Aycliffe collected a morale-boosting point in a 1-1 draw against Billingham Synthonia.

The visitors came close to scoring in the firsthalf when Andy Jennings hit the post from a free-kick before half-time, and at the start of the second-half Aycliffe hit the woodwork through Stuart Owen from the corner of the box.

Synners took the lead after 61 minutes when Chay Liddle and Aidan Cattermole set up Nathan Jameson to fire into the bottom corner. Synners could have added further goals, but Aycliffe rolled their sleeves up in the last 20 minutes, and equalised when Tom Hinchley headed in.

In the second division, leaders Ryhope CW were held to a 2-2 draw by West Allotment, who played for most of the game with an outfield player in goal after Adrian Ames went off injured.

Dean Lee gave Allotment the lead from the edge of the area, but Ryhope levelled with a Jonny Butler penalty, his 20th league goal of the season.

Ames went off injured to be replaced by full-back Mark Drummett, but he had no chance when Chris Winn fired Ryhope into the lead. But Allotment’s John Pendlebury fired a late equaliser.

Northallerton beat Chester-le-Street 2-0 at Ainderby Road. Grant Hickman opened the scoring with a header from a Craig Winter free kick, then Wayne Gredziak from a left wing move.

Darlington RA stay third after a 3-0 win at Stokesley.

The RA took the lead when Gavin Swankie was fouled in the box, and Paul Freary scored from the spot. Aaron Ramsbottom headed the second from a Jimmy Muir cross, then Freary opened up the Stokesley defence for Ramsbottom to slip the ball past the keeper.

Morpeth will be the team the other promotion contenders will have to watch, as they beat Washington 6-1 to extend their unbeaten start to ten league matches. Six different players were on the scoresheet for Morpeth.

Tow Law’s push faltered when they were beaten 1-0 at home by Whitehaven.

Lawyers had more possession but couldn’t take their chances, and Whitehaven capitalised by scoring the winner through Kevin Connelly.

North Shields beat bottom club Alnwick by a single goal, scored by Andy Hay. Alnwick are eight points adrift of third bottom.

Thornaby ended a run of five defeats when they drew 1- 1 at Jarrow Roofing. The home side led with a goal by Darren Reay, but Thornaby equalised through new signing Kurtis Lean.

Brandon ended Ryton’s recent good run when they won 1-0 at the Welfare Ground. The winning goal was a 25-yarder into the top corner by Aaron Rumble.

Horden and Birtley drew 2- 2 , but the match was held up for around 30 minutes because of a serious injury to Horden’s Luke Wilson. Horden took the lead through Paul Johnson, but Birtley hit back to lead through Gary Bailes and Phil Temple. Horden secured a late point with a goal by Martin O’Riordan.