Spennymoor narrowed the gap on leaders Darlington to 8 points when they beat Billingham Synthonia 4-2 at the Brewery Field tonight.
Moors took the lead after 15 minutes when Micky Laws slotted the ball home, but Synners deservedly levelled with a Nathan Jameson effort from a left wing move on 33 minutes.
Moors went 2-1 up on 54 minutes with a far post header by Mark Davison from a Wayne Phillips cross, then Gavin Cogdon scored the third from the spot following a foul on Phillips. Stephen Richardson made it 4-1 with an excellent shot on the turn, before Daniel Johnson pulled a goal back from the edge of the box for Synners.

Billingham Synthonia assistant manager Lee Tucker said: £We were really pleased with how we matched Spennymoor in the first half and we could even have been in front at the break. They stepped it up in the second half, and although the penalty should not have been given, which the referee admitted he got wrong, we have no complaints about the result."
Shildon are through to the second round of the FA Carlsberg Vase after coming from 2-1 down to win 3-2 at South Shields.
The home side took the lead with a Paul Kane effort on 19 minutes, but former Shields player Robbie Briggs equalized with a 30 yarder on 31 minutes.
Shields regained the lead with a strike by Lee Bell on 62 minutes, but then a few minutes later was dismissed for his second bookable offence. Recent signing Jamie Owens levelled from 10 yards, and then Sam Garvie pounced on a rebound from a Ben Wood shot for the winner.

Shildon are now away to Consett in the next round.

Shildon manager Gary Forrest said: "It was a good performance but thought it was going to be one of those nights whereby you miss chances and decisions go against you and end up out of cup."

In the second division, Washington beat Esh Winning 2-0 with second half goals by Lee Hamilton and Michael Rush. Esh Winning manager Andrew Soppitt said: "I thought it was a very poor game. We never looked like conceding, but we missed six or seven chances which came back to haunt us." Washington manager Richie Latimer said: "I thought we were top class. After last Saturday we could have felt sorry for ourselves but we had a great reaction from the lads, and I'm delighted with the performance and the three points."

 A late goal by Liam Hudson gave West Allotment a 2-1 home win over Whickham.

Newcastle Benfield manager Perry Briggs has decided to quit following his side’s 3-0 defeat at Ashington last night. Briggs was appointed near the end of last season, and said: “I’m finding the job very difficult, especially in trying to compete with richer clubs for players.”

 

FA Carlsberg Vase first round.
South Shields 2 (Kane, Bell) Shildon 3 (Briggs, Owens, Garvie)  Shildon away to Consett in second round.
Evostik League Premier Division.
Whitby 3 (Mulligan 2, Henry) Stocksbridge 2.
EBAC Northern League Division One.
Marske United v West Auckland postponed, Spennymoor 4 (Laws, Davison, Cogdon, Richardson) Billingham Synthonia 2 (Jameson, Johnson).
Division Two.
Morpeth v Crook Town postponed, Washington 2 (Hamilton, Rush) Esh Winning 0, West Allotment 2 (Dormand, Hudson)  Whickham 1 (Poppleton)