By Bill Gardner
Despite being on county cup duty, Gillford Park retained their three-point lead at the head of the Premier Division as Shankhouse and Peterlee Town both faltered.
Gillford beat visitors and league colleagues Northbank 2-1 in the second round of the Cumberland Senior Cup. Mark Armstrong gave them an interval lead that was doubled when Northbank’s Andy Rogerson put the ball into his own net. Mark Worrall reduced the deficit for Northbank but they made no further headway.
Two other Cumberland Senior Cup matches – Carlisle City v Aspatria and Harraby Catholic v Alston Moor Sports Club – were washed out and will be rescheduled for next weekend.
Second-placed Harraby could have been replaced but league results went in their favour and Shankhouse were beaten 2-1 at home by Murton. Goals for Mark Smith and Karl Garside earned Murton their first away points and their hosts’ single reply came from Andrew Sherlaw.
Peterlee Town, in joint third spot with Shankhouse and Alnwick Town, missed out on making further progress and after winning four home games on the trot were also beaten 2-1 by visitors Cramlington Town. Cramlington’s James Merzio presented the Newtowners with an own goal opener but his colleagues rose to the challenge. After the break Kevin Ord and Paul Huck found the net to wrap up the points for the Northumbrians.
Heaton Stannington and Heddon, occupying joint fourth spot in the Premier Division, shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Bullocksteads where Heddon previously had a hundred percent record. Jon Armstrong put the home side in front just before the interval but shortly after the change-over Adam Pendlebury levelled for Heaton.
In the clash between Ashington Colliers and Wark the two sides trying to get clear of the basement produced ten goals but hosts Ashington scored eight of them. The Colliers claimed their first home win in style thanks to Anthony Wright’s hat-trick and further strikes by Simon Cunningham (2), Patrice Butters (2) and Richard Brown. Lee Telfer and Phil Thompson replied for the losers.
Newcastle University lifted off the table’s bottom rung thanks to their 3-1 victory over Seaton Delaval at Cochrane Park. Chris Anderson opened the scoring for Delaval but Dave Kewn got the Students back on terms before half time. Sam Newton’s goal then gave the University the lead and Joe Foote put their third goal away in the last minute.
Ponteland United returned to Blyth, their second visit in three weeks, looking to avenge their Challenge Cup defeat by Blyth Town. Pont had two early chances but were undone in Blyth’s first attack. Oliver Cowie got the better of Groom and his cross was headed neatly home by the unmarked Lee Sparrow. But the visitors got back on terms on 20 minutes as McIvor crossed from the bye line for youngster Scott Fenwick to apply the finishing touch. And only five minutes later Pont were in front for the first time as Phil Groom’s free kick set up 16-year-old James Hall to drill home his first ever goal for Ponteland.
Five minutes into the second half United’s Fenwick was brought down in the box and opted to take the spot kick himself. Unfortunately for the youngster keeper Scott Earle made an excellent diving save to palm the ball to safety.
After this miss Blyth equalised when Patrick Allen’s cross was hammered in at the back post by Jeff Fuller and Pont were hit again after 65 minutes as Allen sent in another looping cross for Jonathan Lisle to score with a powerful header.
Ponteland made some changes with Kevin McGorie coming on for Hall and David Redhead replacing Suddick. And in the 75th minute Liam McIvor netted for the visitors to finalise the score at 3-3, a fair result but one that left Pont ruing their penalty miss.
Meanwhile, Walker Central became the Alliance’s sole survivors in the Tynetec Northumberland Senior Cup and did the league proud by knocking out Northern League opponents West Allotment Celtic. At a wind-lashed Monkchester the Central were 1-0 first round victors with their vital goal scored by Craig Scott.
DIVISION ONE – CHOPWELL’S CUP COMEBACK SHOCKS WHITLEY
Last Friday night at Hillheads, First Division leaders Whitley Bay ‘A’ took a break from league duties to take on Chopwell Officials in a rearranged first round tie in the Longhorn Hardware League Cup. And the Bay, leading 4-0 at half time, were finally and sensationally beaten 5-4 by their visitors. Goals for Ian Lee, Dean Porter, Gavin Hattrick and Sean Jobson had Whitley apparently coasting but Chopwell hit back with a vengeance as Andy Smith completed a hat trick and his colleague Rowland Lee bagged a brace.
Whitley Bay still held onto pole position in the middle division after send-placed Stocksfield won 2-0 away to Cullercoats who remained in third spot. The result in this vital game ended an unbeaten run for Cullercoats while leaving their opponents with a hundred percent record in their six games to date. Phil Murray put both of Stocksfield’s goals away.
Both Hebburn Reyrolle and Killingworth YPC are still coming up on the rails and Hebburn were restricted to a 1-1 draw by hosts Gosforth Bohemian Garnett. The Bohs, yet to win at Benson Park this term, had Craig Allan on target while Graeme Troughton replied for the visitors.
In their first away game of the season Killingworth picked up maximum points from their 3-0 victory over Berwick United. Kevin Grahamslaw bagged two of Killy’s goals and Anthony Burns completed their tally.
Having secured two wins and a draw in their last three outings, Newcastle East End have hitched themselves up into mid-table. The East Enders comfortably beat bottom rung visitors Red Row Welfare 3-0 to continue their progress. Paul Bright (2) and Craig Crosby netted for the winners with Ryan Gardiner replying for the Welfare who are still waiting for their first league win.
Percy Main, beaten 2-0 by Gateshead Rutherford at Prudhoe in midweek, bounced back effectively by beating Wallington 3-2 at Purvis Park. Wallington’s Ashley McAlpine scored twice to cancel out the Main’s goals by Joe Betts and Michael Freathy to make it all square with ten minutes to go, But the Villagers picked up the points when Jason Ritchie fired against the crossbar and Betts reacted quickly to drive in his second goal of the game.
Goals by Andrew Elliot and Andrew Reay earned Gateshead Rutherford their midweek success against Percy Main and they followed up by claiming their first away win of the campaign. At Seaton Burn the Gateshead lads won 4-2 after having Andrew Reay (2), Ross Taylor and Daniel Hall on target. Seaton Burn’s 49-year-old team boss Dave Hewitt came on as substitute to score one of their goals and their other reply came from Rob McDonald with a 35-yard free kick.
DIVISION TWO – PACE-SETTERS DROP POINTS
In the Second Division, Wallsend Boys’ Club brought forward their Northumberland Minor Cup second round tie away to Lynemouth Miners’ Welfare Social Club and were beaten 1-0. There was an interesting point in the game when Lynemouth brought on a player who had up to that point been involved in another match on an adjacent pitch!
Back on the league front, Amble United remained four points clear at the head of the table despite only managing to draw 2-2 with mid-table visitors Forest Hall. United scored first and last through Ross Gair and Shaun Black but in the interim Thomas Faid and Michael Reay netted for Forest to preserve their unbeaten record in away games.
Luckily for Amble United, second-placed Wideopen & District – their nearest rivals – also shared the spoils frfom their 1-1 draw at home to Willington Quay Saints. The Saints are still waiting for a first win on their travels and came close after Stuart Duffield had cancelled out Gary Lamb’s opener for the hosts.
South Shields United are occupying a threatening third spot and have secured four wins and a draw in their last five league appearances. The spell of good form continued as United beat lowly visitors Hexham 1-0. The strong wind was a great leveller but with twenty minutes to go Phil Enlund managed to grab the South Shields winner.
Following three straight defeats in the Second Division, Wallsend Town were pleased to get back on track and manager Dave Grandini was delighted by his side’s 4-0 home win against Newcastle BT. Paul McCutcheon scored twice for the Town and their other marksmen were Nick Anderson and Darren Bell.
Benfield Chemfica moved themselves up a couple of notches with a narrow 2-1 victory at home to Amble Town who are still stuck in the basement. Amble’s Nick More levelled after Nick Guest opened the scoring for Chemfica but the home side had the last word in the form of a Chris Jones match-winner.
Whitley Bay Town are only four points above bottom club Tynemouth United but picked up another precious point by drawing 1-1 with visitors North Shields Athletic. Dominic Vasseghi gave the Town an opener on the half hour. They led until the 75th minute when defender Lee Savory was sent off and from the related penalty David Armstrong scored the North Shields equaliser.
