ALNWICK FOIL CUMBRIANS IN THE CUP

19th September

by Bill Gardner
Current Premier Division leaders Alnwick Town cleared a major hurdle in style by beating 2008 winners Harraby Catholic Club 3-2 in the first round of the Kicks Leisure Challenge Cup at St James Park. The early stages of the tie saw two of the league’s form teams locked in a midfield battle but Harraby had Daniel Balmer volleying inches over and Mark Worrall heading narrowly wide. It was Alnwick’s Chris Moffet however who opened the scoring after 17 minutes with his low 20-yard drive.
Harraby levelled after 25 minutes when Balmer volleyed home Guiseppe Amato’s free kick at the back post. The home side’s lead was restored by Dale Kennedy just before the interval and he netted from close range when a poor back pass left Harraby keeper Jordan English exposed.
Harraby made another defensive error on the hour and this time Alnwick’s James Swordy fired into the bottom corner to leave the visitors with a mountain to climb. They reduced the deficit with a late Mike Swift penalty when Dan Wordsworth was fouled but fine goalkeeping by Alnwick’s keeper Michael Armstrong in the dying minutes ended any hopes of a Harraby recovery.
Having knocked out Challenge Cup holders Ponteland United in a preliminary round tie a fortnight ago, newly promoted Percy Main ended the hopes of six-time winners Carlisle City by beating the Cumbrians 3-1 in the first round at Purvis Park.
The Main had beaten the Cumbrians 1-0 in the league in an earlier clash at Sheepmount and City, keen to make amends, took the lead with James Hartley ending 70 minutes of stalemate. The Main pushed forward and were unlucky to see two near misses by Michael Bowman before Dean Ellis got them back on terms by heading home a cross from Malcolm Morien.
In extra time Carlisle’s danger man Lee Otway tested home keeper Rob Rodgerson with his shot on the turn and Bowman went close again at the other end with his drive striking the crossbar. But it was the Main’s Malcolm Morien who turned out to be the hero of the hour. He put his side in front by rifling in a great pass from Ashley Smith and bagged another goal in the second period with a header from Jason Ritchie’s flag kick.
Another two ties needed extra time to settle the outcome and Seaton Delaval were 2-1 victors at home to Wark with all the goals coming in the added half hour. Tom McAlindon gave the visitors the lead but Luke Newton levelled for Delaval and their winner was claimed by Steve Anderson.
In a real thriller at Monkchester, Walker Central clinched a 4-3 extra time win against Cramlington Town. First half strikes by Michael Strachan and Nabby Benny had put the Central well clear but after the break Cramlington hit back with three replies inside ten minutes from Jordan Watson, Steve Rylatt and Kieran Pearson.
In the 80th minute 16-year-old striker Abu Sallin rescued Walker with his equaliser and in extra time visiting keeper Frazer Nairn kept his side in the game with two outstanding saves. He was beaten however by Nabby Benny’s vital winner for the Central.
Last season’s losing Challenge Cup finalists Shankhouse stayed on course this time by beating Heaton Stannington 2-1 at Grounsell Park. Mike Bell’s opener for the visitors was cancelled out by Heaton’s Adrian Watson before the interval but the Shankhouse winner was put away by Lee Gustard midway through the second half.
Murton produced the first round’s shock result by beating hosts Ashington Colliers 6-1 with Liam Wintrip, Martin Blenkinsop and Nathan Ball bagging a brace apiece. And Blyth Town were lucky to make progress away to Gateshead Rutherford. Trailing to Kevin Hay’s early opener for the home side Blyth were presented with an 88th minute own goal leveller by Rutherford debutant Terry Veitch before Danny Beresford snatched their 2-1 winner only a minute later.
Despite having two players sent off in the second half, Killingworth Sporting hung on to beat cup visitors Stocksfield 3-2. Their winning marksmen were Paul Dunn (2) and Anthony Burns. Stocksfield, whose manager John Wilson stepped down last week, replied in vain through Pat Finnerty and Ben Pearson.

DIVISION ONE – HEBBURN PLAY THE WAITING GAME
With Percy Main having been promoted to the Premier Division, last season’s Pin Point Recruitment Combination Cup winners are out of the reckoning this time so a new name will have to be etched on the First Division trophy this term. Hebburn Reyrolle, who lost to Percy Main in the final last term, are waiting in the wings after their first round home tie against Morpeth Sporting Club was put back to 2nd October but fourteen of the other silverware hopefuls were in action.
Past winners Newcastle East End (2006) and Whitley Bay A (2009) met up at Millers Dene and the Bay completed a cup and league double by winning 2-0. Their goals were scored by Michael McMullen and Dean Porter.
Gosforth Bohemians, who lifted the Combination Cup three seasons ago, only had a brief flirtation this time and fell at the first hurdle, losing 2-1 to cup hosts Newcastle University. The newly-relegated Students had goals by Patrick Stokle and Ed Savitt earning them their second round ticket.
Cullercoats beat Chopwell Officials for the second time in this campaign, completing a double by dishing out an 8-0 cup lesson to their troubled hosts. Chopwell, hammered 10-0 in the League Cup up at Alnwick only seven days earlier, came under the cosh again and they seem to have an uncertain future. In a very one-sided tie Cullercoats piled on the agony and their goals were shared by Gareth Armstrong, Sean Smith and Phil and Craig Deighton with each of them bagging a brace.
Amble United also claimed an emphatic victory to make progress and, having beaten visitors South Shields United 1-0 up at Amble a fortnight previously, coasted to a 4-0 success in their latest meeting. Goals on either side of the interval, both scored by Josh Hay, put Amble firmly in the driving seat. Their lead was increased in the 85th minute by Darren Riddell and Hay went on to complete his hat-trick with a well-taken penalty in the dying seconds.
Heddon passed their first round test with flying colours and after beating Stobswood Welfare in the league at Bullocksteads they completed a double with their 5-2 cup victory in the reverse fixture. Adam Shanks and Chris Graham scored for the Welfare but their efforts counted for nothing. Heddon had a hat-trick hero in Kevin Urwin and two goals for Dan Robinson completed their tally.
Wallington booked their place in the Combination Cup’s second round by winning 2-0 away to Peterlee Town while Forest Hall, struggling following promotion to the First Division, celebrated their first win of the season. In the cup arena they emerged as worthy 3-1 victors at home to North Shields Athletic thanks to goals by Alan Knights, Matthew Smith and Neil Gibson with Craig Boyle claiming the Athletic’s single reply.
In the only First Division league game down for decision Berwick United Ultras beat visitors Morpeth Sporting Club 3-0 to climb into the top half of the table. Two of the Borderers’ goals were slotted in by Jamie Punton with the third claimed by Kieran Laverty.

DIVISION TWO – WALLSEND TARGET SILVERWARE AGAIN
Before gaining promotion Stobswood Welfare won the Pin Point Recruitment Amateur Cup, beating promoted colleagues North Shields Athletic in last season’s final. So with neither of these two sides involved in the competition this time around, previous winners Newcastle BT and Wallsend Town were fancying their chances on the first round platform
The Telecom lads were disappointed however and went down 5-2 at the initial hurdle, shown the exit by Seaton Burn. Greg Palmer found the net in each half for BT who were always in the hunt despite the final score-line. Goals for Ian Armstrong and Stephen Russell had given Seaton Burn a toe hold and when Chris Baker and Dave Hewitt were also on target in the last minute of the first half their goals were crucial. And for good measure Nicky Hara scored the Burn’s fifth goal in the 90th minute.
Wallsend Town, who lifted the Amateur Cup in 2001 and again in 2007, kept this season’s silverware options open. In two meetings with league newcomers Simonside SC this term the Town have banged in a total of eleven goals and they won 5-2 on this latest occasion. Derek Graham completed his hat-trick for Wallsend whose other two marksmen were Craig Burke and Sean Reid while Lee Ditchburn and Sean Flood netted for the losers.
In a repeat of an earlier league game at Bullocksteads which Tynemouth United had won 4-1 they emerged as 6-0 victors this time against visitors Red House Farm. Mike Armstrong, Aaron Chambers and man-of-the-match Lee Brady scored two goals each for United with Brady claiming his second from the penalty spot.
Swalwell had Dave Fitzpatrick and Chris Smith on target in each half to win 2-0 in their tie away to Cramlington United and Northbank Carlisle recorded the first round’s most impressive score in beating hosts Cullercoats Custom Planet 7-0. Scott Thompson (2), Fraser Vass, Lee Field and Luke Barwick were on the mark for the Cumbrians whose tally was complement by two own goals, both presented by the Planet’s Chris Wilkinson.
Wideopen & District made progress by impressively beating visitors Hexham with their 50th minute winner scored by Liam Forrest while Whitley Bay Town and Wallsend Boys Club both avenged earlier league defeats inflicted by their respective cup opponents.
The Bay were 3-2 victors away to Willington Quay Saints and had Liam Hudson to thank for all three of their goals. Glen Johnson and Gareth Pugh netted for the Saints who were leading 2-1 early in the second half. Meanwhile, Wallsend Boys Club won by the same margin on their visit to Newcastle Chemfica whose two replies were both put away by Liam Naulls. The Boys Club just edged it with strikes by Gilberto Chapin, Jordan Roberts and Leroy Odd.