Leaders Team Northumbria just got the better of Northallerton in a nine goal thriller at Ainderby Road.

Lee Scott set them on their way by scoring after just 44 seconds, with Peter Watling, the division’s leading scorer, quickly adding another. Gavin Parkin pulled a goal back for Northallerton, but TN went 4-1 up with goals by Jack Palmer and former Barnet midfielder Nicky Deverdics. Northallerton didn’t give up, and after Carl Chillingsworth missed a penalty, Darren Mowbray was successful with one, and then Colin Anderson pulled another back. TN went 5-3 up through Watling’s 26th league goal of the season, and Northallerton continued their fightback with a goal by Craig Winter.

Northallerton manager Mark Fanning said: “It could easily have been ten each. Neither side could defend, but both sides created plenty of chances.”

Team Northumbria director of coaching Paul Johnson said: “It was another of those games in which we took control and got ahead quickly, only to then create our own problems by making stupid individual mistakes. When we let teams score from our own mistakes, it gives them hope and a chance in the game, and to be fair, Northallerton are one of the best teams we have played. Fortunately we were on form up front, so we got the goals, but we are unhappy with conceding four.”

North Shields continued their amazing unbeaten run away from home when they won 3-0 at Easington. They scored all their goals in the first half, through Kevin Hughes, Paul Dunn and Andy Hay.

Shields haven’t lost away from home in the league for 15 months, while Easington are now five points adrift of the rest.

North Shields manager Anthony Woodhouse said: “I thought we played really well. Easington started the better, but once we scored, it was a matter of how many. We were 3-0 up at half time, and could have scored another five in the second half but didn’t take our chances. Easington played well despite their difficulties.”

Darlington RA lost their grip on a top three place when they were beaten 5-2 at Whickham. The RA were far from their best, and went 3-0 down to goals by Steven Aiston, Scott Robson and a Lewis Axon penalty by the 48th minute. Steve Allison and James Evison got them back to 3-2 by the hour mark, but Lawrence McKenna scored twice to make sure of victory.

Darlington RA manager Nick Harrison said: “We were poor first half and improved second half, got back to 3-2. But we shot ourselves in the foot all afternoon with some diabolical goals conceded. A bad day at the office.”

West Allotment are now third following a 3-1 home win over Brandon. Shaun Reid and Stephen Little put Allotment 2-0 up, and even though Ryan Readman pulled a goal back, Reid made sure for the home side with the goal of the game.

West Allotment manager Paul Stoneman said: “I told the lads that I didn’t care how we played, because we really needed three points. We’d played really well in the previous two games and got nothing, but on Saturday we played ok in parts, but it was a battling performance more than anything. Simon Parkin had a good debut in goal.”

Two promotion contenders, Gillford Park and Birtley shared eight goals. It was only 1-0 at half time to Gillford with Ryan Errington scoring, but the goals flowed in the second half. Birtley were briefly ahead at 2-1, but they had to come from behind twice at 3-2 down and 4-3 down, with Dan Smith snatching a point right at the end.

Birtley manager Scott Oliver said: “It was a fair result. An end to end second half, and anything could have happened.”

Hebburn edged closer to the leaders by beating Morpeth 2-1. Morpeth took the lead with an effort by Chris Lunn after 14 minutes, but Liam McBryde levelled for Hebburn, with his 24th league goal of the season. Dean Walker scored the winner for Hebburn late in the game. Manager Paul bennett said: "It was a much needed three points against one of the promotion favourites. We had to play to our maximum and dig sdeep to churn out this result. It was a great example of what second division football is all about. Desire, workrate and will to win. Luckily we just edged it on the day."

Esh Winning led twice at Chester-le-Street, and a missed penalty cost them victory in a 2-2 draw. Craig Mickle put Esh into the lead early on following a miskick by Chester keeper Chris Rookes, but Scott Swanston equalised from a free kick. Esh’s Kieron Megran missed a penalty awarded for handball when Paul Wardle caught the ball thinking that play had stopped before Craig Coates made it 2-1, with Tom Vickers cancelling it out. After that, Rookes pulled off some good saves to keep Chester in the game.

Esh Winning manager Andrew Soppitt said: “The Chester keeper kept them in it, but after being in the lead twice, we should have won it.”

Chester-le-Street manager Anth Smith said: “It was a poor game from our perspective. We gifted them an early goal and didn’t get going at all first half. They took an early lead second half and created chances. I changed formation with subs and we got back into the game. Both teams pressed for a winner right to the end.”

Crook drew 1-1 with Alnwick at the Millfield. Crook took the lead when Alnwick defender Gary Patterson sliced the ball into his own net, and they had a goal disallowed before Tony Brown equalised for Alnwick in the second half.

Crook manager Gary Pearson said: “It was a much better defensive performance. We should have been four up at half time. We came out second half, but then a handball off our defensive clearance rebounded in and gave them an equaliser. All in all though a solid performance.

Horden pulled off one the best results in the division, winning 2-1 at Thornaby. Andy Ramsbottom put them into a second half lead, which was cancelled out by Marcus Laing shortly after. Craig Skelton missed a penalty for Thornaby, and at the other end, Shaun Ryder was successful with the award given to them.

Thornaby manager Ray Morton said: “Horden worked hard, and they punished us for slack defending. It was a game of two penalties after that – we missed ours and they scored theirs.”

Seaham Red Star are stuck in the bottom three after losing to a late goal, at home to Whitehaven, Kevin Connelly scoring it.

Seaham Red Star manager Steve Cook said: “It was a vastly improved defensive performance without our usual passing quality, which was on show too briefly. The game looked to be heading for a stalemate which would have been a fair result until that late goal. Disappointing, but we’ll take the positives out of the game.”

Washington are now in the bottom four after they lost 2-1 at Ryton. Dan Young gave Washington a half time lead, but Paul Henderson-Reay scored twice for Ryton in the second half. Ryton manager Dave Hagan said: "They were better than us in the first half, and we were better than them in the second. But we got a little bit of luck near the end for a change."