by MALCOLM PRATT
 
Ryhope CW had cause for a double celebration on Saturday.
 
Not  only did they increase their lead at the top of the table to 13 points, but they  became the leading scorers with 77 goals when they hit Coxhoe Athletic for seven at Recreation Park.
 
Paul  Laverick's  side  were on the back foot almost from the  start  as  Ryhope raced into a two-goals lead through Martin Metcalfe and a John Butler penalty.
 
Before  the  interval, Butler was again on target and there was no  respite  for Coxhoe in the second half either.
 
Greg  Swansbury  scored  his first goal in four seasons, James Farrell  made  it five  and  hotshot  striker Butler struck twice in the last 20 minutes  to  take his tally in the game to four goals.
 
Scarborough   Town,   whose  Sunderland  Shipowners'  Cup  tie  at  Jarrow   was postponed, stay second and have four games in hand on Ryhope.
 
Houghton  Town  will be optimistic that their season is on the turn  after  they conceded just one goal to promotion hopefuls Teesside Athletic.
 
A  third-minute penalty by James Kesterton gave the home side a dream start  but Steve   Patton's  team  battled  back  and  fully  deserved  their   67th-minute equaliser from Kevin Gordon.
 
Easington  Colliery's promotion prospects received a setback at lowly  Windscale for  whom  player manager Matthew Henney has improved results since  his  recent appointment.
 
It  was  Henney  who opened the scoring in the 50th minute and  he  should  have made  it  two  a few minutes later. The Cumbrians though were not to  be  denied and Shaun Pollen ended the Colliers' hopes with his late strike.
 
Ashbrooke  Belford  House  came back from a two-goals deficit in  their  fixture with  Wolviston  which  was  switched to Silksworth because  Metcalfe  Park  was waterlogged.
 
Paul  Ambrose and Scott Meehan had Wolviston two goals up inside 25 minutes  and after  Peter Benson threw Ashbrooke a lifeline on the stroke of half time,  Dale Wells restored parity with a 35-yard piledriver.
 
Michael  Meek  was  again  in superb form leading Boldon CA to  a  6-0  rout  of Guisborough Town HC.
 
Surprisingly,  however,  it  was  not until the 43rd minute  that  Tony  Renwick opened  the  scoring but in a frenetic 17 minutes early in the second half,  the South Tynesiders struck five times.
 
Man-of-the-match  Meek rifled four goals with Kris Robertson adding to the  woes of Guisborough who have now leaked 72 goals.
 
Willington  have  conceded 77 times after being hit with a seven-goals blitz  by third-top Cleator Moor Celtic at Hall Lane.
 
Robert  Fowler, Chris Thornton and Glynn Edwards each bagged a brace with  Craig Scott also on target for Celtic who are equal on points with Scarborough.
 
Hartlepool  marginally  improved  their position second from  bottom  when  they claimed  a  point  from Kirkbymoorside whose marksmen were Uyieinai  and  Johnny Brown.   Craig  Lobb  and  Danny  Corbett  replied  for  Pools  for  whom  Chris Birbeck missed a 39th-minute penalty.
 
The game between New Marske and Annfield Plain was called off.