Stalybridge Celtic head the Blue Square North on goal difference from Corby Town as both won on as restricted league fixture list on Saturday due to the FA Cup.
Celtic enjoyed a 3-1 win at the Northolme against inconsistent Gainsborough Trinity, who were ahead after 16 minutes, courtesy of a Nathan Peat penalty.
Warren Peyton equalised right on the stroke of half time and then Joe O`Neill bagged a second half brace on 56 and 86 minutes to seal victory for Steve Burr`s side.
Corby made hard work of securing victory in a game they should have had wrapped up inside the first half an hour.
The Steelmen made a great start as Leon Mettam put them ahead after only 6 minutes, sliding the ball past the keeper after being put clear by Steve Diggin's flick.
Four minutes later it was 2-0, Mettam left completely unmarked to head home Gavin Strachan's free kick.
At this stage, it looked like Corby would score at will as they regularly carved open the Stratford backline. But as the game moved towards half time, Corby began to slacken off and their lethargy was alarming as they completely lost all momentum and Stafford remained the better aside after the break.
And Stafford finally scored on 80 minutes through substitute Ben Mills and at this point, the Steelmen were clinging on and looking like dropping points that should have been in the bag.
Paul Mayo seemingly calmed the nerves when lashing home Corby's third on 88 minutes.
But from their next attack, Stafford scored again as Levi Reid beat the offside trap to slot home andf Corby looked like dropping points from a game they should have won at a canter.
But they held on in the end, Jamie McGhee even having a fourth goal chalked off at the death.
Droylsden were knocked off top spot after going down to a 2-1 defeat at Coronation Park to Eastwood Town, who are now back up to fifth as a consequence.
Peter Knox was the Badgers` goalscoring hero, opening the scoring after 25 minutes and then adding a second 7 minutes later.
Andy Brown did manage to reduce the arrears with 15 minutes to go, but the hosts held on for the points.
Harrogate Town`s alarming slump continued as they went down to a 1-0 defeat at Solihull Moors, for whom Ryan Beswick kept his cool to net an 89th minute penalty winner.
Vauxhall Motors are only a point and a place better off than Harrogate after losing by the same scoreline at Farsley Celtic, whose Lee Ellington left it even later to score the only goal of the game in injury-time.
