by MALCOLM PRATT
 
Another  man-of-the-match  performance  by  John Butler swept Ryhope  CW  to  an emphatic  victory  over Ashbrooke Belford House in last night's local  derby  at Silksworth.
 
Butler  headed his side into a 20th-minute lead before Belford House suffered  a double whammy on 35 minutes.
 
Mark Lawton was sent off for a handling offence and Butler converted the penalty leaving Ashbrooke with a mountain to climb.
 
Midway through the second period hot-shot striker Butler completed his hat-trick and  five  minutes  from time capped a memorable performance, scoring  a  fourth goal to take his season's total to 28.
 
Ryhope  stretched their lead over Scarborough Town, who were without a  fixture, to  nine points but chasing clubs Cleator Moor Celtic and Teesside Athletic both won.
 
Celtic  easily  accounted for Windscale in the Cumbrian derby.  Darren  Johnson, Chris Thornton, Glynn Edwards and Barry Irving struck with Lee Dixon Windscale's only marksman.
 
Teesside  Athletic  visited Willington and had the incentive of  a  sixth-minute goal  from  Sam Young. Stephen Thompson quickly doubled the lead and before  the break  Daniel Drazdauskas added to the woes of the home side with a  spectacular overhead kick.
 
With  20  minutes remaining Josh Binks reduced the deficit but  Willington  were unable to add to his effort and remain entrenched at the bottom of the table.
 
Houghton  Town  are sixth from the basement and have now conceded 70 goals,  the most by any side, after leaking eight to rampant Boldon CA.
 
Goalkeeper Daniel Douglas had a busy night, picking the ball out of the net four times  in  each half. Mark Williams rifled a hat-trick, Michael Meek  and  Chris Robertson each bagged a brace with Eric Thompson also on the mark.
 
Andy Appleby scrambled the ball home to give Easington Colliery the lead at home to  Hartlepool but Andy Ross quickly levelled with the best goal of the night, a tremendous shot from outside the penalty area which gave goalkeeper James Winter no chance.
 
In  the second half, Adrian Sanders' shot was deflected wide of keeper Mark Bell and  when he was again on target, there was no way back for Pools who are second from the basement.
 
Jarrow  overwhelmed Guisborough Town HC despite going behind after four  minutes as Philip Poulton steered the ball past goalkeeper Tony Orr.
 
Peter  Kane quickly restored parity but it was not until the second period  that the South Tynesiders got the better of the home team.
 
Their  dominance was rewarded as Kane took his personal tally to four and  goals also stemmed from Chris Lunn, Liam Clark and Tony Chilton to complete a 7-1 win.