Carlisle City and Penrith both registered good wins away from home in the Northern League First Division.
Kendal Town were hoping to get back to winning ways after two successive defeats but their game at Crook Town was postponed.
The Mintcakes stay fourth, very much in the play-off mix, while Carlisle City who are joint seventh still have hopes of a late run to the play-offs.
Penrith are 11th but poised for their first top half finish for some time.
City were particularly impressive in their 3-0 win at Marske on a heavy, difficult surface – and without up to eight players who might have been in the starting line-up.
They were down to the bare bone – 13 players travelled – and manager Dan Kirkup had to play centre-half for the full 90 minutes, although he revelled in the conditions.
Jordan Palmer, with a quick double, and Lewis Lambert, on loan from Carlisle United, scored the goals which carried the visitors to a comfortable, impressive victory.
Here’s what Dan Kirkup had to say:
Penrith were a goal behind at Whickham at half-time from one of the few opportunities the home side had. Collins Unuareokpa benefitted from a free-kick deflection to put his side in front.
The Bonnyblues were the better side in the second-half and eventually Whickham cracked with Luke Brown (70) and Connor Shields (78) scoring the vital goals.
You can hear what Jim Nichols thought of the game below:
