TWR Bifolds Wearside League
Cleator Moor Celtic consolidated top spot by crushing Wolviston in the only Wearside League game to get the go-ahead on Saturday.
The Metcalfe Park men found the Cumbrians too hot to handle and succumbed to a 5-0 defeat.
That moved Cleator three points above closest rivals Hebburn Town Reserves, as well as having a vastly superior goal difference (+77 to Hebburn’s +41).
Nevertheless, the title could still got to any one of four teams.
Third-placed Redcar Athletic are 12 points behind Cleator Moor but have five matches in hand.
Sunderland West End may be down in fifth, 19 points off pole position and reeling from Friday’s shootout disappointment in their Durham County Trophy final against Leam Rangers.
But they could conceivably still challenge for the championship, with 11 games to go and the second best goal difference in the division.
While waterlogged pitches forced off every league game on this side of the country, Cleator Moor demolished sixth-placed Wolviston at McGrath Park for their 20th league win of the season.
Early goals from Ryan Hall (2) and Kieran Maguire set the Cumbrians on their way and further efforts from Bradley Rooney and Darren Little were more than enough to claim a comprehensive victory.
Cleator secretary Peter Hodgson, said: “We are very proud of our team at present, as the majority have come from our own Academy.
“As a club, we have improved and want to progress further and one of our aims was to join and win the Wearside League. “We are on track to do that, but there are some difficult games ahead, before the end of the season. “We are delighted with the win, as we had three key players out. It’s a massive win for us, as we three points ahead at the top of the league.” The Total Sports Alan Hood Charity Cup final is today, with Hebburn Town Reserves taking on hosts Hartlepool at Grayfields Enclosure. There are three league matches scheduled for Wednesday, with Sunderland West End away to second-bottom Stokesley SC, new Durham Trophy holders Leam Rangers visiting South Shields Reserves and fourthtop Boldon CA at home to bottom club Coxhoe Athletic.
South Shields maintained their promotion push in the Evo-Stik League North with a 5-2 defeat of Prescot Cables, after falling behind to a first-minute goal, and later trailing 2-1.
Lee Mason’s double, followed by efforts from Dillon Morse, Robert Briggs and Jon Shaw, did the damage, though the last two goals only came in the final few minutes.