SCOTT Ryan scored the only goal of the game, his 40th of the season, to send Richmond Town top of the Wearside League with a win over Gateshead Leam Rangers last Saturday.

But the visitors left Earls Orchard feeling disappointed not to have taken at least a point from an entertaining game in which Mike Elliott was recalled to Town’s back line and Nathan O’Connor impressed after winning a place in the starting line-up.

Town had the better of the first half, with Sean Radford seeing a shot come back off the post from 20 yards, Chris Pattison twice firing across goal and wide, and Ben Darville producing a disappointing finish.

James Wood saw a Leam Rangers free kick comfortably dealt with by home keeper Karl Latcham and, on the stroke of half-time, Ryan headed home a Sam Grainger cross to give the home side the advantage at the break.

The second half saw early chances for the Gateshead side. Latcham was alert and quick off his line to punch clear under pressure from Wood before Grainger blocked a Ewan Vasey shot which Richmond failed to clear, with Anthony Huddart twice hitting the bar in the following frantic few seconds.

At the other end, Kalumn Holbrook fired into the side-netting after somehow creating a shooting opportunity out of nothing and Darville raced into the box, only to be denied by Leam Rangers keeper Peter Bryson.

Ryan combined with Holbrook, who glanced a shot agonisingly wide of the post, then Grainger and substitute Stephen Butterworth created another chance for Ryan, who saw his effort blocked on the line.

Holbrook was inches from finding the net with a shot from the edge of the box from a Ryan corner, then Colin Anderson, another second-half substitute, fired high and wide.

Bryson produced a great save, diving low to his right to keep out Butterworth, before dealing with another Radford attempt.

With the 90 minutes almost up, Leam Rangers substitute Niki Langston almost snatched a point, but fired across Latcham’s goal and narrowly wide with Richmond hearts in mouths.

Following the hard-earned victory in Town's last fixture of 2016, news came through that Jarrow had conceded three late goals to lose 5-4 at Coxhoe Athletic, which moved Richmond into top spot on goal difference.

With the two teams still to meet in the league this season, and Redcar Athletic still very much in the chase, it looks like being an exciting title race.