SEASIDERS SINK PERCY MAIN

By Bill Gardner
Due to the heavy overnight frost the game between Cullercoats and Percy Main at Links Road proved to be only one of two played in the Northern Alliance's three divisions as the programme was once again decimated by the weather. Both sides had completed only six league games so far this season due to the frequent postponements.

Recent signings Richard Latimer and Graeme Cole lined up in the Main's colours for the first time, while the Cullercoats starting eleven included five players who had represented the Villagers during the 2005-06 campaign. And David Owen and Craig Deighton were to punish their old club as the Seasiders finally emerged as 4-0 victors.

Early on Percy Main were well on top but were left to rue a series of missed chances which may have changed the course of events, while some inept defending by the Villagers virtually handed the points to their hosts.

In contrast the Cullercoats defence, well marshalled by the vastly experienced Alex Burnett, coped well with the aerial threat posed by the lengthy throw ins of Pierre Coiffait, while in attack Paul Towns and Femi Akinbolu troubled the Main's back line throughout the game.
Both sides endeavoured to seek an early advantage as Akinbolu found Towns, but Rob Rodgerson in the visitors’ goal proved his worth by finger tipping the ball behind for a corner. In response the Main's Dean Morgan was just off target while Jason Ritchie's free kick struck the upright and from the rebound Jon McEnaney and Steven Shadforth both somehow failed to find the net.

Minutes later, Ritchie's measured flag kick was met by the well placed McEnaney who headed just over the crossbar but after 20 minutes Cullercoats opened the scoring. From the right flank Towns found Akinbolu who laid the ball off superbly for Andrew McColl to fire home from close range.

Parity was almost restored immediately as Cole's goal-bound header from another Ritchie corner was acrobatically saved by home custodian Andrew Wedgewood and in the ensuing scramble Coiffait fired into the side netting.

But missed chances proved costly and Cullercoats doubled their lead. Towns provided the ammunition once again and, when his low cross from the right evaded the Villagers defenders, Craig Deighton duly fired home. Then, only a minute later, Cullercoats found themselves three goals to the good as a quickly taken corner fell to David Owen who found himself unmarked to fire home.

Following the interval chances went begging at both ends. Percy Main’s Tony Browell saw his header kicked from the line while Akinbolu headed wide for Cullercoats with the goal at his mercy and then chipped narrowly over the crossbar.

Akinbolu continued to prove the chief threat for Cullercoats and a combined effort by Rodgerson and Browell halted his run on goal. But the Seasiders still had the last word with a fourth goal in stoppage time. Owen took advantage of a deep cross from McColl to steer home his second of the game and round off his side's victory.

Killingworth YPC have also only been beaten once but have only managed to fit in six First Division games since the start of the season. They too therefore have several games in hand to boost their promotion hopes. And Killy moved up another three notches into a threatening fifth spot by beating lowly visitors Red Row Welfare 2-0.

Despite being still pointless and perched on the First Division table’s bottom rung, the Welfare are finally showing promise after bringing in several new players and gave a good account of themselves. They held out and matched their hosts until midway through the second half before conceding a penalty which was clinically put away by Killy’s Andy Edmundsen. And the Red Row lads kept going even after Kevin Westphal raced onto a left wing cross to double his side’s lead in the 78th minute.

HARRABY GRIND OUT COUNTY CUP VICTORY
Harraby Catholic Club beat the weather to reach the quarter-finals of the Cumberland FA Senior Cup but their efforts were stretched to over two hours of football before they eventually ended the hopes of visitors Netherhall.

Respective front runners Lee Otway for Harraby and Andrew Lowes for Netherhall caught the eye in most of the early exchanges. And in the 16th minute when Otway slid the ball invitingly into the path of James Earl his colleague spooned his shot over the bar.

Marc Shiel hit the upright after 25 minutes as Harraby pressed with fine play involving Ashley Combe. Then Otway outstripped the Netherhall defence as he chased a misdirected back pass but was dragged down in the area by visiting keeper Petit. Skipper Mike Swift wasted the chance to give Harraby the lead by sending his spot kick high and wide of the target.

Just before the break Andrew Lowes nearly snatched the lead for Netherhall as he intercepted a wayward pass but was thwarted by a fine save by Harraby custodian Ian Milburn. But it was Harraby who looked the stronger at the beginning of the second half.

An Aaron Rogers pass sent Shiel on a wide run and when he crossed to Otway the striker’s header was spectacularly saved at the foot of the post by Petit. Lowes again tested Milburn on the hour at the other end but Otway was unlucky again for Harraby when Petit was at full stretch tipping his angled drive around the post for a corner.

Visitors Netherhall almost snatched a dramatic winner in the dying seconds of normal time when Lowes spotted Milburn off his line. His 20-yard lob bounced off the top of the bar before being cleared and the well-balanced tie went into extra time.

Andrew Lowes finally broke the deadlock in Netherhall’s favour in the 93rd minute when at the second attempt he fired past Milburn to open the scoring. But the lead only lasted for a couple of minutes before Harraby got back on terms. Substitute Brett Swift’s penetrating pass put Ashley Combe through on goal and the wing-back’s angled drive went beyond Petit into the far corner.

Only seven minutes remained when Harraby scored their second and what proved to be the winning goal. Otway beat off two challenges and used his pace before crossing from the bye-line for Rob Bainbridge who easily side-footed home from close range.

LEAGUE CUP IS SERIALISED
Peterlee Town’s second round home tie against Second Division opponents Wideopen & District in the Longhorn Hardware League Cup was one of the many postponements. And the only sides to have booked third round places so far are: Wallsend Town, Heddon, Walker Central, South Shields United, Amble United and Seaton Delaval.

Most of the outstanding ties will be played on the last Saturday before Christmas and include: Cramlington Town v Hexham; Forest Hall v Stobswood Welfare; Harraby Catholic v Northbank;
Newcastle University v Benfield Chemfica; Peterlee Town v Wideopen & District;
Wallington or Carlisle City v Stocksfield; Wallsend Boys’ Club v Heaton Stannington;
Wark v Amble and Whitley Bay Town v Cullercoats.