Spennymoor Town need two points to make mathematically certain of promotion and the title after beating Team Northumbria 4-1 at the Brewery Field yesterday afternoon.

They took an early lead when an attempted clearance by James Morgan 25 yards out rebounded off the shins of Moors striker Andy Johnson and looped over the keeper into the net.

TN almost levelled when Kyle Hayes saved at full stretch from Peter Watling, but there was no doubt about the result on 52 minutes, when Keith Graydon typically curled a free kick from 25 yards over the defensive wall into the net.

It was 3-0 when Joe Walton fired the ball into the middle from the left for Dan Taylor to turn home. Ben Sayer curled one in from the corner of the box to pull a goal back, but Taylor converted a penalty at the other end for the fourth.

A point might be enough anyway for Moors, because their goal difference is much better than that of Celtic Nation and Shildon.

Team Northumbria are relegated after two seasons in the top division.

Shildon can’t finish second after they were held to a 1-1 draw in their local derby at Newton Aycliffe.

The home side took the lead when Kerry Hedley cut in from the right and fired past Shildon keeper Lewis Graham, and Shildon nearly equalised when Darren Richardson struck the crossbar.

Aycliffe’s Craig Mickle missed a good chance for a second before half time, but Shildon levelled when Ben Wood was pushed by Hedley in the area, and Wood just managed to beat Aycliffe keeper Andrew Spence from the spot.

Bishop Auckland recorded their biggest win at Heritage Park with an 8-1 thrashing of Crook Town.

They took the lead on 22 minutes when Kieran Megran played a short corner, ran into the box, and fired past keeper Sam Hogg. Craig Hodgson controlled a free kick from the right and volleyed the second on 35 minutes, then Dan Hawkins strolled through the Crook defence on the right and fired the third into the top corner. Hogg then made a right hash of a Megran lob into the box which he fumbled into his own goal to make it 4-0 at half time.

It was 5-0 straight after the break when Chris Lawson volleyed home, then Danny Brunkill powerfully headed another. Kyle Davis pulled a goal back from an acute angle, but Brunskill scored the seventh from a rebound. Glen Lane fired another to make it seven goals inside 35 minutes.

Vase finalists West Auckland rested several players and drew 1-1 with Newcastle Benfield. West took the lead after 84 minutes when Warren Byrne scored from an Alex Francis pass, but Benfield equalised when Paul Brayson scored from the spot after he was brought down by Neil Pattison.

Steve and Aaron Bowey turned out for Benfield, a rare occurrence of father and son playing in the league.

Billingham Synthonia won their local derby at Town by 3-0. Synners were 2-0 by the 19th minute through an own goal by Matthew Dixon and a strike by Freddie Woodhouse, and midway through the second half Michael Sweet added a third.

The league cup final will be between Marske United and Whitley Bay at St James Park on May 6th.

Despite fearing beforehand that they wouldn’t be able to field a strong team, Marske won 4-1 at Ashington. Austin Johnston scored a hat trick, with Chris McGill scoring the other. Andy Johnson scored for Ashington when the score was 2-0.

Whitley Bay reached their first final under new boss Leon Ryan when they won 3-2 at Whitehaven. The Cumbrians took the lead with a goal by David Dustin, but Alex Kempster fired the equaliser. Paul Chow and Jarret Rivers made it 3-1, with Lee Woolf pulling a late goal back.