Kendal Town and Penrith both extended unbeaten runs with Northern League victories.
Third placed Kendal beat North Shields 6-1 at Parkside Road while Penrith were 3-2 winners in a feisty affair at Marske.
Kendal are third just four points behind leaders Guisborough and a game in hand.
Penrith’s good run has carried them into the top half of the table.
Kendal started slowly and it was North Shields who looked the most likely winners in the early stages.
But they missed two good chances and goals from James Bailey and Josh Winder before half-time put Kendal in control.
Jason Walker (56) and Jamie Looker (62) improved Kendal’s position before Lee Mason (64) pulled one back for Shields.
But Bailey went on to punish the visitors and complete his hat-trick with goals in the 79th minute and third minute of time added on.
Here are Michael O’Neill’s thoughts below:
Penrith got off to a flying start at Marske as they raced into a 3-0 lead inside 24 minutes.
Top scorer Luke Hunter (7, 18) and Luke Brown (24) fired the Bonny Blues into a commanding position.
Sam Spenceley pulled one back for the home side before the interval.
Things changed after Marske were awarded a 64th minute penalty and Penrith had Kevin McKenna sent off.
What followed was distasteful as the referee racked up 14 cards, one a red for Marske’s Danny Boyle and another for Penrith assistant manager Alan Ingles after he had been shoulder-charged on the touchline by a Marske player.
Connor Gant had scored from the penalty but despite a lot of provocation Penrith saw it through to the final whistle.
You can hear what Penrith manager Jim Nichols thought of it all below:
