Penrith produced their best performance of the season to beat Marske 4-0 at Frenchfield.
But Northern League neighbours Carlisle City suffered a second successive defeat on the road when they lost 3-0 at North Shields.
Penrith manager Jim Nichols described the performance the best since he took over again at the start of the season.
It all stemmed from a really quick start in which the league’s top goal-scorer Luke Hunter had them in front after only two minutes.
Marske were outplayed and couldn’t match the intensity of the home side.
Connor Shields doubled the lead on 18 minutes and four minutes later it was 3-0 as Kian Makar got on the scoresheet.
Hunter scored his second, and 12th of the season on the hour and it could have been more before the end as Penrith moved-up to 10th in the table.
Here’s what Jim Nichols had to say:
They are a point and a place behind Carlisle City who were closer to a result than the 3-0 defeat at North Shields suggests.
As manager Dan Kirkup says the performance in no way deserved that final outcome but admits it’s results that count.
City struck the woodwork on numerous occasions and missed several good chances as they were by far the best team for three quarters of the game.
But it became a question of chasing the game when Stephen Hall put Shields ahead after 68 minutes.
City then threw even more at their hosts but were caught on the break as Hall added his second on 81 minutes and Regan Paterson scored a third a minute from the end.
Here’s Dan Kirkup’s view:
