Premier round-up: Shields and Lancaster open up a cushion

After failing to go top by dropping points in each of their last three games, the Dolly Blues returned to winning ways against struggling Stafford, who slipped to the foot of the table with this, their 10th defeat of the season.

The damage was largely done in the first half, Glenn Steel and Matthew Blinkhorn putting Lancaster 2-0 up, before Brad Carsley made sure of the points shortly after the hour.

After bowing out of the FA Trophy in midweek, South Shields’ focus returns to the league, and they maintained top spot with a 3-0 win over play-off chasing Radcliffe.


Will Jenkins broke the deadlock on 32 minutes, before Robert Briggs’ second half brace earned the win at Mariners Park.

The last remaining unbeaten away record was obliterated at Craik Park as Morpeth Town thrashed Warrington Town 4-0.

The Yellows were already a goal down to Liam Noble when Bohan Dixon was shown a ninth-minute red card for apparently placing a hand in the face of Highwaymen midfielder Sam Hodgson.

Morpeth then took last year’s play-off winners apart, with goals from Carl Finnigan, Liam Henderson and Jeff Henderson putting them four up by half time.

Although Warrington rallied to stop the rot in the second half, their day got even worse when Mitch Duggan was shown a straight red in the final minute.

Buxton moved out of the bottom three with a 5-0 thrashing of Scarborough Athletic.

Liam Hardy scored two penalties either side of half time to break the Seadogs’ resolve, and Diego De Girolamo’s brace made it four before Tom Elliott rounded things off nine minutes from time.

Tunde Owolabi just can’t stop scoring for FC United, and he notched his 22nd and 23rd goals of the season as they beat Grantham Town 4-0.

That brace and Michael Potts had the Reds 3-0 up inside 16 minutes, and they coasted for the remainder of the game before Aaron Morris added icing in stoppage time.

FC United’s win lifted them in to the play-off places after Stalybridge Celtic suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Mickleover Sports, who had lost six of their previous seven league games.

Stalybridge led through Darius Osei on 28 minutes but collapsed in 17 minutes either side of half time.

The first of Stuart Beavon’s double made it level at half time, before Verma Aman and Beavon again gave Sports a two goal advantage within seven minutes of the restart.

Basford United lost ground on the top two as they were hammered 4-1 at home by Hyde United.

Patrick Lane, Dan Turner (2) and Connor Hughes had the Tigers in dreamland inside 36 first half minutes.

Although Stef Galinski did get one back in the second half, it was too little too late for Basford, who have now managed just one win in their last five.

Matlock Town ended a run of four straight league losses with a 2-1 win at Bamber Bridge.

Still in the FA Trophy after their miracle win at Chorley, the Gladiators took the lead through Marcus Marshall only to be pegged back by Alistair Waddecar on the stroke of half time.


Substitute Dan Bramall came off the bench to score the winner for Steve Kittrick’s side 20 minutes from time.

Whitby Town ended a run of seven without a win in the league as they won 3-2 at Witton Albion.

There were four goals in 15 first half minutes as Whitby led through a Jake Hackett penalty after 23 minutes.

Will Jones equalised on 34 minutes, but within four minutes they trailed 3-1 thanks to Paul Blackett on debut and Corey Roper.

Liam Goulding’s injury time strike was scant consolation for Witton, who fall to ninth in the league table.

Elsewhere, Gainsborough Trinity moved off the bottom of the table on goal difference with a goalless draw at home to Nantwich Town.