Guisborough maintained their four-point Northern League lead as three superb strikes and a penalty earned them a convincing 4-0 home win over Newton Aycliffe.
In a highly competitive and sometimes over-physical game, Guisborough went 1-0 ahead three minutes before half-time when a stunning 20-yard shot from Curtis Round went into the net off the far post.
The Priorymen asserted their superiority after the break when first James Risbrough scored with a peach of a shot from the edge of the area in the 54th minute.
Town’s leading scorer Danny Earl then picked his spot with a delightful volley from just inside the area to make it 3-0.
Guisborough completed the rout in the 76th minute when Luke Bythway was upended as he shaped to go past the Aycliffe keeper, and Earl stepped up to score his 26th goal of the season from the spot.
The victory keeps Guisborough clear at the top of the table in one of the closest and most thrilling finales to a Northern League Division One title race for many years.
Marske stayed fourth - six points behind Guisborough with two games in hand - following a 3-1 home win against struggling Sunderland RCA on a day when there was no change at the top with second and third-placed West Auckland and Shildon also victorious.
The Seasiders took advantage of having a horrendous wind at their backs in the first half as they struck twice through a Jamie Owens lob and Danny Brunskill header.
Brunskill increased Marske’s lead in a much more even second period when he stretched to volley home from substitute Reece Kelly’s curling cross.
Seasiders keeper Robert Dean had little to do overall, although he had to be alert to get two hands on a powerful strike from former Hartlepool United forward Colin Larkin which looked destined for the top corner of his net.
RCA pulled a goal back late in the game when substitute Joseph Hughes slid in to beat Dean at his near post.
Billingham Synthonia remain in the relegation mire despite rallying in the second half of their 3-2 defeat at Dunston.
Synners were overrun in midfield in a first half played in a strong wind, and found themselves 2-0 down at the end of it to goals from Andrew Bulford and Daniel Smith,
Bulford then struck again just before the hour mark to leave them trailing by three.
Top scorer Michael Sweet pulled a goal back for the visitors from the penalty spot, and substitute Martyn Woodhouse scored with a header back across the face of goal from a Sweet cross three minutes from time, but Dunston held out.
Norton could be in danger of blowing their promotion challenge in Division Two after losing 2-1 at Northallerton, their third defeat in four matches.
The Ancients conceded a sucker punch goal right on the stroke of half time after some reckless passing at the back.
Rocky Andrews then had a penalty saved and Norton were 2-0 down by the time substitute Tom Bligh pulled a goal back on his right foot from long range.
Top six-chasing Thornaby came from a goal down to beat Ryhope 3-2 at Teesdale Park and stretch their unbeaten run to five matches.
Ryhope went ahead with a 10th minute header but Theo Furness levelled for Thornaby when he drilled home at the second attempt.
Former England Under-17 international Kieran Edwards put Thornaby in front with a header just before half-time, but the visitors levelled early in the second half from a hotly disputed free-kick which went in off a post.
The final third of the game was finely balanced until the 87th minute, when Nathan Porritt scored the winner after his initial penalty was saved,.
Ryhope finished the game with 10 men as their captain was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Billingham Town were left red-faced as they lost 2-1 at home to bottom-of-the-table Brandon.
The Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup finalists fell behind to a third minute goal from Kieran Weekes, whose wind-assisted shot beat Town keeper Michael Thackeray.
Substitute Joel Callender equalised for the hosts with his first touch of the game in the 72nd minute after coming on for Louis Whensley.
But it was Brandon who scored the winner five minutes later, James Ellis sliding the ball past Thackeray after he broke away at pace.
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