A BIG LEAP BY PONT

By Bill Gardner
Ponteland United hoisted themselves from the Premier Division basement fringes up into mid-table with a 2-0 home win against Ashington Colliers, only their second league victory at the Leisure Centre Ground this season.

After Shaun Gibson spurned a great scoring opportunity for Ashington, Pont started to play some attractive football with Marc Dummett and Andrew Davidson linking up well on the left flank, Joe Dawson chasing everything up front and Liam McIvor always looking dangerous in front of goal.

After 25 minutes Ponteland took the lead when McIvor was brought down just outside the box. A cleverly worked free kick involving Scott Fenwick & Dummett resulted in Dummett's dangerous cross being turned away for a corner. And from Davidson’s inswinging flag kick McIvor managed to poke the ball home.

It was still 1-0 to the hosts at the interval but Pont continued to attack after the break with Andrew Davidson involved in almost every move. And in the 65th minute the home side’s lead was doubled when the pressure paid off. A free-flowing move involving Dummett, Davidson, Dawson and McIvor resulted in Fenwick playing in McIvor who made no mistake, firing low into the net for his second goal of the game.

Heddon were away to a Harraby Catholic Club side which had lost only one league game and on the half hour the Cumbrians were leading 2-0. Both goals in the space of two minutes were scored by Lee Otway. His first was driven home from thirty yards when he intercepted a poor throw out from the Heddon keeper. And his second was claimed from the edge of the area from Matthew Blake’s clever back-heeled pass.

The second half saw Heddon take advantage of the wind as they pushed the home team back and on the hour they reduced the deficit. John Dunn was brought down just inside the Harraby box and Max Turner scored from the spot. Then almost immediately Heddon got back on terms when Dunn slotted in a square pass from Craig Horsfall. But after 77 minutes Harraby snatched their winner. Heddon’s Martin Lamb brought down Otway only to be red-carded for his tackle and Mike Swift despatched the vital penalty to make it 3-2 for the Cumbrians.

Walker Central increased their lead at the head of the Premier Division to four points by beating bottom rung hosts Murton 3-1 and despite trailing to Lee Doyle’s opener after only five minutes. Ian Mills equalised promptly for the Central and before the break John Campbell bagged a brace as Walker extended their unbeaten run to eight games.

Behind the current pace setters there are now four sides – Gillford Park, Shankhouse, Seaton Delaval and Alnwick Town – all sharing second spot on 24 points each. Delaval’s game away to Blyth Town was postponed and Alnwick Town took a break from league duty to beat hosts Killingworth YPC 3-0 in the Pin Point Recruitment Charity Cup. Their scorers were James Lang, Mark Richardson and substitute Scott McMullen.

Unbeaten in their four away games so far, Gillford Park were almost restricted to a draw for the second time this season by Cramlington Town. There were no goals as the game entered the second minute of stoppage time and Steve Skinner gave the Park a 1-0 win with his spot kick to spark a round of protests. As a result the Town had two players red-carded.

Shankhouse still have only one home win to their credit after drawing 1-1 with Heaton Stannington at Northburn. Heaton themselves have won only once on their travels and were lucky to share the spoils in this game. Craig Johnson put Shankhouse in front midway through the first half and only five minutes were left when Adam Donaghey levelled for the visitors.

Without a win in their last eight outings Peterlee Town drew 2-2 with visitors Carlisle City after strikes by Philip Hickman and Robert Huntley gave them a clear lead. Chris Kelleher (penalty) got City off the mark before the Newtowners’ Paul Carter presented them with an own goal equaliser.

Wark’s first away win, 4-3 against Newcastle University, lifted them above their hosts in the basement. Lee Telfer completed a hat-trick for Wark whose other scorer was Phil Robinson. Dave Kewn, Oliver Heywood and George Coyle netted for the unlucky Students.

DIVISION ONE – THE BAY ARE BLOCKED
Despite lying idle once again, Stocksfield are still comfortably heading the First Division table, a clear nine points a\head of nearest rivals Whitley Bay ‘A’ and with a game in hand. And Whitley Bay slipped up, beaten for the first time this season at Hillheads. Newcastle East End did the damage and they clinched a 2-1 verdict to give themselves their own first away win of the campaign. Lee Chapman and Dieu-Donne Lomana opened and closed the scoring for the Eastenders with Malcolm Morien replying for the Bay.

With Cullercoats on County Cup duty, Chopwell Officials had a chance to replace them in third spot but were beaten 3-2 at Percy Main. The Main, still unbeaten at Purvis Park, were given the lead in a thrilling game by Tony Browell as he rifled in Jason Ritchie’s flag kick at the back post but their visitors hit back. Goals for Craig Foster and Stuart Rook on either side of the interval put Chopwell in command but with twenty minutes to go the Villagers responded emphatically. Joe Betts got them back on terms when Sean Potts created his opportunity and then in the 81st minute Jason Ritchie grabbed their winner. He controlled Jonathan McEnaney’s cross brilliantly to give Chopwell keeper Kevin March no chance.

Northbank climbed into mid-table and ended a lean spell by beating visitors Hebburn Reyrolle 3-2. Despite having James Keeler and Craig Walton on target Hebburn still suffered their fourth successive defeat away from home. Assisted by an own goal by Hebburn’s Keith Simpson, the Cumbrians sealed the points with strikes by Andy Rogerson and their top scorer Mark Worrall.

In a match switched to Lobley Hill, Gosforth Bohemian Garnett shared four goals and the spoils with Gateshead Rutherford. Both sides have struggled a bit this season but the Bohs were trying to complete a rare league double. They were fired in front twice by Harry Tulip and then Dan Corcoran but allowed Rutherford to respond with two replies by Ross Taylor.

Still seeking their first home win, Seaton Burn had to field a weakened team against bottom rung visitors Red Row Welfare who were pointless before the kick off. But the Welfare won 2-1 to finally give themselves something to celebrate and had Bradley Smith and Arron Sayer scoring in each half before Dave Hewitt headed home from a free kick for the Burn’s consolation goal.

DIVISION TWO – GAIR IS GREAT FOR AMBLE
Amble United have a three-point cushion in pole position in the Second Division where South Shields United and Forest Hall are now their most threatening rivals. Both Amble and Forest Hall picked up maximum points but South Shields, beaten only once in their last nine games, were restricted to a 3-3 draw by hosts Wideopen & District. Wideopen had won 3-2 in the reverse fixture and looked set for a repeat when Gary Lamb (2) and Richie Curran (penalty) found the net. Shields recovered however with a Phil Ormond brace, including a spot kick and a vital strike by Phil Elund.

League leaders Amble United extended their unbeaten run to eight games by winning 2-1 away to Benfield Chemfica. Two goals, both put away by Ross Gair, were enough to complete a double for the Seasiders but Chemfica caused some anxious moments after Liam Naulls reduced the arrears.

In third spot, Forest Hall have enjoyed a successful run and it continued with a convincing 4-2 victory over struggling visitors Tynemouth United. Forest’s match-winning marksmen were Michael Reay (2), Mark Knights and Mark Nicholson. Tynemouth, stuck on the bottom rung with only a single point to their credit so far, were far from over-run and deserved their two replies put away by Mark Carey.

After drawing four of the preceding six games, Wallsend Boys’ Club got back to winning ways at Hexham where their hosts had been unbeaten in three previous encounters on their own patch. An Andy Lau hat-trick did the major damage for the Boys’ Club whose other marksman was Dan Parker. Ironically, the best goal of the game was blasted home from over thirty yards by Hexham’s Tony Lancaster.

North Shields Athletic made it four home wins on the trot at the expense of poor travellers Whitley Bay Town and won 2-1 in another close game between these two sides. After only managing a draw in the reverse fixture the Athletic picked up all three points this time thanks to goals by Michael Cunningham and Dan Walton. The Town’s single reply came from Jamie Wallace.

Willington Quay Saints have become the Second Division’s draw experts and shared the spoils again in a 2-2 draw with fast-improving visitors Stobswood Welfare. Goals in each half for David King and Chris Graham gave the Welfare a clear lead but they surrendered their advantage. Glen Johnson’s successful 66th minute spot kick got the Saints off the mark and only seven minutes later and having had a player sent off, their equaliser was scored by Chris Lowes

NFA MINOR CUP – FOUR OUT OF EIGHT ISN’T BAD
In delayed ties in the Ideal Stelrad Northumberland Minor Cup, another three Northern Alliance flag bearers earned places in the forthcoming quarter-finals. And while Amble FC bowed out after losing 2-1 away to Lynemouth Miners’ Welfare FC, their colleagues Cullercoats, Newcastle BT and Wallsend Town all made progress.

Cullercoats coasted through and after leading 5-0 at half time in their home tie against Blyth Town Reserves they finally clinched an outstanding 8-0 victory. Femi Akinbolu (hat-trick) and Ben Gardner (2) led the Cullercoats charge and the other scorers were Craig Deighton, Stewart Wright and Rob Watson.

Newcastle BT made the cut by beating cup hosts Killingworth Station 4-2 and all four of the winners’ goals were put away by Dave Thompson. Meanwhile, Wallsend Town had to be content with a more modest 1-0 success at home to Newcastle RVI Lochside. Paul McCutcheon claimed the Town’s vital winner.

Last weekend’s three winners from the Northern Alliance will be joining league partners Killingworth YPC Sporting in the last eight of the county competition. The surviving ‘outsiders’ in the draw will be Blakelaw Crofters Lodge, Killingworth YPC Town, Lowick United and Lynemouth Miners Welfare SC.