We're still not safe, says Oliver

The result puts Aycliffe five points above the relegation zone, but as Oliver pointed out, third bottom Billingham Town still have nine games remaining.

“Town’s defeat was a big help, but we need to remember that there is still a long way to go this season, and we’re still nowhere near safe. Other teams can still overtake us,” he said.

The points were decided in just the 6th minute, with an excellent strike by midfielder Tom Hinchley, who found the top corner of the net with a right foot shot from the edge of the box.

Aycliffe could have added further goals, but Danny Earl and Danny Lambert were both denied by Synners keeper Tim Griffiths, while Aycliffe keeper Scott Pocklington made two good saves at the other end in the second half.

Aycliffe’s cause was helped by third bottom Billingham Town’s 3-2 away defeat at second bottom South Shields, Town agonisingly missing a penalty in the last minute, Stephen Ramsey headed against the bar for Shields before they took the lead on 18 minutes when Liam Henderson scored with a shot on the turn, then Jonny Wightman made it 2-0 from the penalty spot.

Danny Brunskill pulled a goal back with an excellent shot from a corner, but Mark Brown made it 3-1 with a 40 yard free kick that beat Danny Molyneux in the Town goal.

Glen Butterworth hit the bar for Town in the second half, and pulled one goal back with seven minutes left through Brunskill. And they missed a great chance for a valuable point in the dying seconds when Josh McDonald was fouled in the area, but James Winter saved Davies’ spot kick.

Billingham Town manager Carl Jarrett said: “We never turned up today and the better team won. There are nine games to go and looks like it will go right to the end.”

Billingham Synthonia assistant manager Lee Tucker said: “the conditions spoilt any chance of a good game of football, but we didn’t do the basics well enough to get something from the game.”

Bottom of the table Norton won only their fourth league game of the season when they beat Hebburn 1-0 at Station Road, but they are still 20 points away from safety.

Anthony Hume scored the goal that mattered, with an excellent strike from the edge of the box just before the half hour.

Norton manager Andy Campbell said: “I’m happy with the result. We deserved to win, but I’m not getting carried away.”

Hebburn manager Paul Bennett said: “I’m embarrassed. Take nothing away from Norton but we were lacking in desire, attitude and togetherness. The players have been told what we think. I’ve stood by players, but I’ve been let down by people I didn’t expect. They should feel humiliated and hurt, but I bet they pick their expenses up and forget about it after their first pint. They’ll get a sock Wednesday!”

Marske United are still flirting with danger and are level on points with Aycliffe after they lost 3-0 at Dunston.

Marske missed a couple of chances before Dunston took the lead with a Micky Dixon header from a Stephen Pickering cross on 20 minutes. Lewis Teasdale made it 2-0 from a Lee McAndrew assist, then late in the game Andy Bulford fired the third.

Dunston manager Billy Irwin said: “It was a good win on a difficult pitch.”

Celtic Nation, still with 16 games to play, won 2-0 at Sunderland RCA.

Recent signing Jacob Simpson put Celtic Nation ahead after just 12 minutes, and after CN’s Graeme Lee hit the bar, RCA defender Ross Preston headed into his own net while trying to clear a cross.

CN manager Steve Skinner said: “It was a very good win in really bad conditions. The team who could handle the conditions and do their job better was going to win, so I’m very pleased with the lads. They worked very hard and the lads who came in did well.”

Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon said: “It was the same old story. Another own goal, and one chance from which they scored. We had six chances, and their keeper never made a save.”

Guisborough pulled off an excellent 3-0 away win at Whitley Bay. Recent signing Danny Johnson gave them the lead with a header from a Luke Bythway corner after 10 minutes, then four minutes later Gary Wood headed the second from another corner.

Whitley Bay had more of the game after that, but Guisborough finished them off when Johnson ran through and slotted the ball past Kyle Hayes in the Whitley goal.

Whitley Bay manager Ian Chandler said: “It was a poor display from 1 to 11. The subs improved things, but very bad display. The ref was marginally better.”

Guisborough manager Chris Hardy said: "The level of performance was right up there with the best of the season, the way we controlled possession throughout the first half and then with stood the direct pressure that was thrown at us in the second half and for the whole 90 minutes had a cutting edge about our play.
The lads from 1-14 gave a display that they can be proud of and hopefully can use this performance as a platform to have a strong end to the season with the confidence that a result like this brings."

In the second division, Darlington RA are still battling away, even though they’ve played more games than all the other clubs around them. They beat Ryton and Crawcrook 1-0 with a goal by Aaron Ramsbottom after the keeper fumbled a cross by Jamie Smith.

Jarrow Roofing are looking good for the third promotion spot after they had an excellent 5-3 away win at West Allotment. the scores were level at 1-1 at one stage with Sean Reid cancelling out an early goal by Anth Myers, but then Roofing surged into a 5-1 lead with two more goals by Myers, and another two by Liam McBryde. Reid and David Dormand pulled two late goals back for Allotment.

The result keeps Roofing six points ahead of Darlington RA, but maybe their biggest danger is North Shields, who are seven points behind with a game in hand.

Roofing manager Richie McLoughlin said: “It was a good performance all round and I’m happy with the three points.”

West Allotment manager Paul Stoneman said: “Very disappointed. In the first half we weren’t at it which effectively cost us the game. We were much better in the second half which made the scoreline look more respectable. I told the lads not to let the season fizzle out. We’ve a real chance of finishing in the top six or seven, and we’re in two cup quarter finals.”

Shields are into fifth thanks to a 3-0 away win at Birtley, Rob Nolan scoring a first half hat trick to give him 25 goals in the league this season for Shields. He set the tone of the game by scoring after just two minutes, then a mistake by Birtley’s keeper gifted him his second on 21 minutes. Within another four minutes he completed his hat trick.

Birtley manager Scott Oliver said: “We started the game strangely flat and they punished us. We had more ball than them which pleased me but at this level you can’t start games poorly. I hope a few of the young lads have learned from today.”

Northallerton’s challenge looks over after they were beaten 2-0 at Washington, for whom Graham Carter and Lee Hamilton scored.

Northallerton manager Mark Fanning said: “The game was spoilt by the wind, but on the day Washington deserved to win.”

Tow Law won their ninth away game of the season when they won 4-0 at Thornaby’s Teesdale Park. Danny Wilson gave them a half time lead, with Robert Hurton (2) and Luke Parkinson scoring after half time.

Two teams battling against the drop at the bottom, Alnwick and Stokesley, drew 1-1. Ben Bonner gave Stokesley a half time lead, but Tom Vickers equalised for Alnwick with five minutes left.

Stokesley assistant manager Chris Lax said: “We had the first half and dominated the game, and the game should have been over if we’d taken our chances. In the second half Alnwick came at us, and we defended too deep and resorted long balls which weren’t sticking up front. We also made the wrong decisions when in front of goal. Overall two points dropped.”

Bottom club Horden suffered a setback, losing 4-0 at home to Seaham Red Star, finishing the game with nine men.

Alan Pegram and Channon North put Seaham 2-0 up, before Jonathan Payne was dismissed for Horden. Another player then went off injured, leaving them with nine men, and North went on to complete his hat trick late in the game. Seaham Red Star manager Mark Collingwood said: “We were awful in the first half. We improved after the break and it was a great win in testing conditions.”

In the Evostik League, Blyth lost 2-1 to FC United at Bury’s Gigg Lane, former Darlington player Joe Kendrick putting them into an early lead.