Brandon, who are hovering just above the relegation zone, held Shields to a goalless draw at half time, but then leaders bulldozed them in the second half.

Dean Holmes scored from a through ball to put them in the lead, and then he set up Dean Walker for the second. Sub Adam Scope got the third with a curler from 20 yards, then Gareth Bainbridge fired his 31st league goal of the season. Joe Elliott made it 5-0, and Bainbridge scored another near the end. It was the second time this season that Shields have scored six in a game, and they have now kept 13 clean sheets.

West Allotment came back from 3-2 down and won 4-3 at Tow Law.

Allotment started well enough, with player-manager Paul Stoneman and David Dormand scoring inside the first 20 minutes, but Lawyers hit back to lead by half time.

Dan Wilson, on his return to the club from Newton Aycliffe, pulled a goal back, and then Lewis Harrison and Scott Thompson put them 3-2 up at half time. But in the second half, Stephen Little and Michael Bell hit back for Allotment.

Before the game, Lawyers had a minute’s silence for former manager Stuart Leeming and long serving supporters Lily Craggs and Jeff Liddle, who have all passed away recently.

West Allotment player manager Paul Stoneman said; “We showed great character to come back from 3-2 down at half time. We started well, and went 2-0 up, then had a daft 15 minutes before the break. But the lads proved they can dig in and get a result on a very heavy pitch. I’m delighted with every one of them.”

Tow Law manager Gary Anderson said; “It was a very frustrating game. I thought we were miles away in the first half hour but came back into it and took a deserved lead. In the second half we gave away two sloppy goals but we worked hard and could have come away with at least a point.”

Third placed Heaton Stannington lost their promotion clash 2-1 against Seaham Red Star.

Seaham took the lead after 38 minutes with an Adam Johnston penalty after Joe Wear was red carded – Johnston’s 18th league goal of the season -- but Heaton levelled at the other end with another penalty through Jon Wright after Seaham defender David Short was sent off.

But seven minutes from the end, new signing Dean Nicholson got the winner from a Darryl Donnelly assist.

Heaton Stannington assistant manager Geoff Walker said; “It was a hard fought game on a heavy pitch. A draw would have been a fair result, but we missed a great chance at 1-1.”

Seaham Red Star manager Mark Collingswood said; “It was a deserved hard fought victory on a heavy pitch in a game of few clear cut chances. Dean Nicholson and Lewis Wing had great debuts and overall we deserved the three points.”

Jarrow Roofing are standing nicely in fourth with games in hand on the top three after a 6-3 victory at Stokesley.

The home side took the lead with a Stuart Browne header, but Roofing levelled when Andy Appleby ran through and beat Stokesley keeper James Fleming. Paul Gardiner put Roofing into the lead after half time from a Liam McBryde assist, then Stephen Young made it 3-1 from the spot after Appleby was fouled. Greg Peel pulled one back with a good effort, but Stuart Nicholson fired cleverly past Fleming to make it 4-2. Gardiner scored the fifth from an Appleby pass, and after Peel blasted a third from 25 yards for Stokesley, Jamie Marshall got the sixth.

Jarrow Roofing manager Richie McLoughlin said; “It was a hard game on a sticky pitch but credit to both sides for playing some good attacking football but in the end the best team won.”

Stokesley assistant manager Nicky Ward said; “I was disappointed after a good first 20 minutes and taking the lead, but too many individual errors cost us.”

Norton picked up three much needed points with a 1-0 win at home to Thornaby, even though they had Michael Joseph sent off. Nicky Martin scored the winner in the first half.

Thornaby manager Neil Radigan said; “We were disappointed to lose. We certainly deserved a lot out of the game. Our quality let us down at times, but we will bounce back next week.”

Norton manager Andy Campbell said; “I was very pleased to get three points because we deserved them. We created some good chances against a good side. I was disappointed to have Michael Joseph sent off, but we battled through.”

Northallerton also had a good 2-0 away win at Whickham to put them in seventh. They went close a couple of times before they took the lead through Dale Elgie from a Michael Stevens cross on 26 minutes, and then new signing Chris Burton headed in a cross from Colin Anderson. Whickham, who have a big Vase game against West Auckland next week, had Mark Pattinson red carded in the second half.

Whickham manager Robin Falcus said; “I was very disappointed with our performance, the best team won comfortably, We’ve tried since the summer to change the mindset of a lot of the players, but it’s still not sinking in. Things have got to change, we can’t go on like this.”

Washington continued their revival with a 4-1 away win at Alnwick. They took the lead with a goal by Mark Davison but Alnwick levelled through Dominic Schiavetta.

But then Alnwick had Kevin Elliott red carded, and Washington went on to win with further goals by Chris Winn, Paul Kane and James Fairley.

Washington manager Steve Hutchinson said; “We played some cracking football, everyone had very good games. The chances we had in the game could have put us into double figures. We had a penalty turned down, their keeper pulled off some good saves and we hit the bar and the post.”