Stockton Town kept their faint title hopes alive with victory over Brighouse Town.
After Brighouse had a first half penalty ruled out for a double touch, goals from Glen Butterworth, Kev Hayes and Michael Fowler gave them all three points.
Manager Michael Dunwell named three changes from the Starting XI that lost at Winterton Rangers. Dan McWilliams, Shane Henry and Mikey Roberts were replaced by Josh Baggs, Cam Painter and Michael Fowler.
There was a fantastic turnout in the Teesside sun as 1,218 packed into the MAP Group UK Stadium- the fourth largest attendance for a Stockton Town game.
Brighouse fired the first warning when a header from a corner was met with a superb save from Nathan Harker to keep the scores level.
Stockton worked their first opportunity on the 25 minute mark when patient build up ended with Butterworth being left open on the edge of box but his curled effort went wide of the target.
The visitors then won a penalty after Harker tripped up a Brighouse player trying to prevent a corner. It was disaster for taker Myron Gibbons who slipped and made contact twice with the ball as he guided it in which saw the goal ruled out.
Another good Stockton move almost ended in the opener as Painter had his drive saved by Hassall.
Minutes before the interval, Kevin Hayes struck the post after his shot bounced off the wrong side of the woodwork.
Half Time: Stockton Town 0-0 Brighouse Town
Brighouse had the first chance of the second half as Gibbons fired his shot wide at the near post.
The deadlock was broken in the 57th minute when Glen Butterworth rifled into the top corner from around 25 yards.
It was all Stockton Town from then on and they had a great chance to add another when Fowler was played in on goal but his strike was comfortable for Hassall.
The lead was doubled when Kevin Hayes slotted it coolly in the bottom corner after he was played through on goal.
The third Anchors goal came on 73 minutes when Hayes beautifully took down a long ball before he jinked past a defender, had his effort saved but Fowler was there to tuck in the rebound.
Stockton could have had added but somehow Adam Nicholson’s header on goal was miraculously kept out and the subsequent rebound was narrowly over.
Despite the lack of action, Harker remained alert and he denied a close range shot with his feet to keep his clean sheet intact.
The final action saw Lewis King come close to getting himself a rare goal. He went through but was unable to find the finish to beat Hassall.
Full Time: Stockton Town 3-0 Brighouse Town
The win sees Stockton Town secure second place which means a home route through the Play-Offs. The title is still a faint possibility but relies on Hebburn Town dropping points in their remaining two games.
Stockton Town: Harker, King, Baggs, Portas (Henry 75′), Nicholson, Coulthard, Hayes (Roberts 79′), Painter, Fowler, Butterworth, Sweet (Beddow 47′)
Unused subs: McWilliams, D.Mulligan
Brighouse Town: Hassall, Dacre, Peters (Crook 69′), Grant, Sikora, Allsop, Smith, Drake, Qasim, Wilson (Bedford 76′), Gibbons (Normanton 59′)
Unused subs: Webster, Nebard
Goals: 1-0, 57 min, Butterworth; 2-0, 67 min, Hayes; 3-0, 73 min, Fowler.
Attendance: 1218
Photo: Harry Cook
Words: Ben Oliver
