WALKER SEE OFF ASHINGTON CHALLENGE

By Bill Gardner

Reigning champions Walker Central are now six points ahead of second-placed Gillford Park at the head of the Premier Division table. Unbeaten at home, the Central made visitors Ashington Colliers their latest victims and won 3-1.

A hard fought game was played out on a heavy pitch which had an effect on Walker’s usual sharp-passing methods. And Ashington arrived at Monkchester with a team including at least half a dozen first team regulars from the Northern League so praise has to be given to Walker for their attitude and commitment in difficult circumstances.

Two goals in the opening half lifted the Central’s spirits. The first resulted from Gary McCartney’s through ball that was driven in low by John Campbell and the second was claimed by Ian Dunn. He netted from the edge of the box following some determined work by Paul Gardiner.

On the hour Walker’s lead was increased and when Campbell supplied the cross, McCartney found the net from only six yards out with a clinical left-footed effort. Midway through the second half Alan Hogg finally got the Colliers off the mark but they posed few threats in the later stages.

Three draws and a defeat in their last four home games have slowed down Gillford Park’s progress and Heaton Stannington restricted their Cumbrian hosts to a 2-2 stalemate. Gary Yates claimed both Heaton goals, scoring first and last while the Park salvaged a point in the interim with strikes by Mike Riding and Steve Skinner.

The bottom of the table clash involving hosts Cramlington Town and Murton resulted in a 2-1 victory for Murton who lifted off the bottom rung to leave Cramlington propping up the table. Jonathan Maxwell and Stephen Turner netted in each half for the winners with the Town’s token reply coming from Thomas North.

In a delayed second round tie in the Longhorn Hardware League Cup, Cullercoats won 4-3 away to Whitley Bay Town. Rob Watson, Steve Hart and Craig Deighton who bagged a vital brace inside the last ten minutes provided their goals. Whitley Bay Town, leading 3-2 before Deighton’s rescue act, had Kevin Gray, Mick Welford and Richard Biggs (penalty) on target and were very unlucky losers. And Cullercoats now face a testing visit to holders Walker Central at the next stage.

In the third round of the League Cup there were successes for Shankhouse and Seaton Delaval. Shankhouse’s Craig Johnson bagged himself a brace in his side’s 2-1 win away to Peterlee Town whose reply came from Robert Huntley.

Seaton Delaval also won 2-1 to end the cup hopes of Newcastle University at Wheatridge Park. Terry Goicochea’s goal ended nearly an hour of stalemate in Delaval’s favour but Edwin Tizard hit back in the 70th minute for the Students to make it all square again. Delaval player-manager Nicky Gray was on target to settle the issue with only three minutes to spare.

In three second round ties in the Alliance’s Pin Point Recruitment Charity Cup there was only one upset as Carlisle City were beaten 4-3 at home by First Division opponents Newcastle East End.

Chris Kelleher fired City into a first minute lead but the Tynesiders then had Anthony Johnson (2) and Dieu-Donne Lomana on target to take control. Lee Chapman completed the East Enders’ tally and although Jamie Heath and Ollie Driver added further goals for Carlisle they were chasing a lost cause.

Because of waterlogging up at Blyth, Blyth Town’s home tie against Whitley Bay ‘A’ in the Charity Cup was switched to the Bay’s ground at Hillheads and the Town won 3-2. Jeff Fuller opened their account on the half hour mark with a curling free kick round the defensive wall and into the top corner.

Five minutes after the break Joe Race doubled Blyth’s lead by turning in a low cross from Fuller. Malcolm Morien trimmed the deficit almost immediately with his opener for the Bay and there was some excitement in the final minutes of the tie. Jonathan Mann scored Blyth’s third when a long kick from keeper Scott Earle caught out the Whitley Bay defence and he raced through to score. Mark Fenwick then claimed a second reply for the hosts but by then time was running out.

Meanwhile, in an all-Premier Division Charity Cup encounter, Ponteland United’s last chance of silverware evaporated after their 1-0 defeat by visitors Alnwick Town whose first half winner was put away by Mark Cockburn.



DIVISION ONE – RARE SUCCESS FOR BORDERERS

Still second from bottom in the First Division rankings, Berwick United earned themselves some breathing space by beating visitors Hebburn Reyrolle 3-2. This was a fifth successive defeat on their travels for Hebburn, both of whose goals were scored by James Keeler. Sean Phillips (2) and Andrew Godsell were Berwick’s marksmen to give them only their second league victory.

The top three teams in the First Division – Stocksfield, Whitley Bay ‘A’ and Cullercoats – were all absent from league duty, and fourth-placed Killingworth YPC reduced the points gap. Killy, with games in hand of all of their pace-setting rivals, picked up three easy points by winning 5-0 away to the division’s bottom club Red Row Welfare. They completed a league double against their hosts with goals supplied by Daniel Snee (2), Frank Di Pietro, Kevin Westphal and Callum Colback.

Northbank and Percy Main improved their respective rankings and Northbank were 2-1 winners at Seaton Burn where their hosts were left seeking their first home win. Johnny Mason gave the Cumbrians a very early opener but this was cancelled out before the break when the Burn’s Rob MacDonald headed home from Dave Hewitt’s cross. In the 85th minute a corner kick fell to Northbank’s substitute Lewis Gallagher who scored his side’s winner from close range.

Percy Main are yet to be beaten at Purvis Park this term and shared the spoils in an exciting 2-2 draw with Gosforth Bohemian Garnett. The game’s early kick off attracted over a hundred spectators and the Bohemians made a bright start with Matt Atkin bagging himself a first half brace.

Straight after the interval the Villagers reduced the deficit with Jonathon McEnaney scoring from well outside the area when his chance was set up by Sean Potts. Then, midway through the second half, parity was restored and, following Pierre Coiffait's long throw, Jason Ritchie crossed from the left for Joe Betts to steer the ball home.

In a mid-table local derby south of the Tyne, Gateshead Rutherford improved on the earlier draw with their visitors Chopwell Officials and won 2-1 this time. Goals in each half for Stephen Tumelty and Ross Taylor gave Rutherford a useful lead. In truth however Chopwell had the better of the exchanges after the break but their pressure only resulted in a single reply from Craig Foster.



DIVISION TWO – BENFIELD SHOCK FOR FOREST

Only four league games were scheduled in the Second Division and, with leaders Amble United and closest rivals South Shields United taking a break from chasing league points, third-placed Forest Hall wasted a great opportunity in the promotion race.

Forest had enjoyed a six-match unbeaten run before entertaining Benfield Chemfica but their visitors beat them 2-0 to earn their first points away from home. And for the first time in this campaign Forest Hall failed to get a name on the score sheet as they were hit by Martin Dixon’s and Ryan Stobbard’s strikes for a delighted Chemfica.

In their last seven games Wallsend Boys’ Club have five times and there was another 1-1 deadlock on their visit to Newcastle BT. The BT lads had won their two previous matches on home turf but were happy to share the spoils in this one. They had Andy Mackay on target with Stu Bell replying for the Boys’ Club who had Andy Lau going close to claiming a late winner.

Wideopen & District are looking ready to climb back up the table following a damaging lean spell and a 3-2 home win against North Shields Athletic was a morale-booster. Gary Lamb (2) and Martin Roper found the net for Wideopen with Ronnie Kay and Simon Moslemi replying for the visitors.

Willington Quay Saints are yet to be beaten on their own patch and struggling Tynemouth United never looked like ending that record. The Saints coasted to a 4-1 victory after being 3-0 up at the interval thanks to strikes by Mark Henderson, Andy Duffield and Chris Lowes. John Meehan’s spot kick for Tynemouth reduced the deficit but in the dying seconds Glen Gallon weighed in with the home side’s fourth goal of the game.