WEAKENED PONT MATCH COLLIERS

By Bill Gardner
Ponteland United manager Jarrod Suddick was mourning the death of his father Alan last week after the ex-Newcastle and Blackpool favourite passed away following a long illness. Jarrod was understandably absent when Ponteland visited fellow-strugglers Ashington Colliers with assistant manager Steve Baxter taking over.

After 30 minutes Pont took the lead when a fine ball from Marc Dummett was side footed on the volley into the net by young Scott Fenwick. However five minutes before half time the Colliers were level and when a cross came in from the right Anthony Wright was on hand to give visiting keeper John Elliott no chance with his low drive.

Ashington were looking the stronger side after the change-over with Lee Scott going close to putting them in front and with half an hour to go Pont defender Dummett was injured and replaced by debutant Ricky Fenwick. Both teams were looking for the vital three points and Scott Fenwick thought he'd scored a second for Pont but his header from James Hall’s cross glanced off the top of the crossbar.

In the end a draw was a fair reflection of the match with no team having a player to stamp their authority on the game. Although Joe Dawson up front for Pont worked his socks off they lacked the presence which the absent Liam McIvor normally gives them and also missed the subtlety and creativity of Suddick in midfield.
While previous leaders Walker Central were lying idle, Gillford Park replaced the defending champions in pole position by beating visitors Newcastle University 3-2. Gillford however started on the back foot and trailed at the interval to goals scored for the Students by Dave Kewn and Ed Tizard. Steve Skinner finally got the Cumbrians off the mark and a brace for Matthew Wood secured the vital points.

Seaton Delaval overtook both Alnwick Town and Harraby Catholic Club to settle into third spot after a 2-1 success away to Peterlee Town completed a league double. Winning at home is proving difficult for the Newtowners and Steve Howes gave Delaval the lead. Jonathan Monaghan levelled just before half time for the hosts but in the 53rd minute John Fitzpatrick claimed Delaval’s winner.

Carlisle City’s hopes of joining the title-chasing group received a surprising setback and after being unbeaten in seven recent games they were hammered 5-1 by hosts Murton. Mark Smith and Steve Turner (2) fired Murton into a solid interval lead and Turner completed his hat-trick straight after the change-over. Danny Bulmer got City off the mark but the home side had the last word when Turner banged inv his fourth goal of the game.

Having picked up only a single point from their last four Premier Division appearances, Shankhouse stopped the rot by beating Heddon 1-0 at Bullocksteads. The two sides had featured in an earlier goal-less draw at Northburn and another stalemate looked likely until Lee Gustard slotted in his 76th minute winner for the visitors.

Heaton Stannington won 3-2 at home to Cramlington Town but their bottom rung opponents were rather unlucky. After Aaron Jewell and Adam Donaghey found the net for Heaton inside the first ten minutes, Cramlington staged a second half recovery. David Atkinson opened their account and David Dormand restored parity with his 80th minute spot kick. But in the dying seconds Joe Wear settled the issue in Heaton’s favour.

First Division outfit Cullercoats booked their place in this season’s Longhorn Hardware League Cup Final by beating semi-final visitors Hexham 3-2 with goals shared by Joe Elliott, Craig Deighton and Femi Akinbolu who bagged their 75th minute winner.

In the other semi-final Harraby Catholic Club comfortably beat cup hosts Wark 3-0. Lee Otway opened the scoring and an own goal gifted by Wark’s Stuart Brown doubled Harraby’s lead after the break. Marc Shiel completed the Cumbrians’ tally.

Meanwhile a semi-final tie in the Northern Alliance Charity Cup resulted in a 3-1 home victory for Newcastle East End over Premier Division opponents Blyth Town. The Eastenders’ marksmen were Gary Dixon, Dieu-Donne Lomana and Anthony Johnson with Lee Sparrow replying for the losers.

DIVISION ONE – WHITLEY FORCED TO TAKE STOCK
Stocksfield took another massive step towards clinching the championship in the first Division by beating visitors and nearest rivals Whitley Bay ‘A’ 4-0. Leading scorer Ben Pearson bagged himself a first half brace for the current league leaders who also had Sam Quilliam and Wayne Stewart (penalty) on target after the break.

Stocksfield retained their hundred percent home record and are now twelve points clear at the top with a game in hand while Whitley’s promotion hopes could be threatened by the likes of Killingworth YPC and Percy Main. These two met at Purvis Park last Saturday and the Main impressively pulled off a 4-1 victory.
Against a Killy outfit which had just won five games on the trot, the Villagers had Graeme Cole opening the scoring straight from the kick off and Joe Betts netted to double their lead before the interval. Killy’s substitute Liam Callaghan reduced the deficit on the hour mark and they were only killed off by Percy Main goals in 85 and 86 minutes scored by Jason Ritchie and Pierre Luc Coiffait.

Gateshead Rutherford claimed only their second win on their travels by beating Berwick United 2-1. Berwick’s Lee Walker equalised after David Hall had fired Rutherford in front but a second half strike by Robbie Frame allowed the visitors to clinch victory and complete a league double at the Borderers’ expense.

Chopwell Officials trailed at half time to Peter Southern’s opener for visitors Wallington but came back strongly after the break to finally seal a 3-1 victory. Dave Fitzpatrick, Rowland Lee and Andrew Smith were Chopwell’s second half marksmen to inflict a sixth successive away defeat on Wallington.

Gosforth Bohemian Garnett, only beaten once in their last eight league outings, have hauled themselves out of the basement and picked up three more useful points by winning 2-1 away to Northbank. Improving on their earlier 2-2 draw with the Cumbrians on Tyneside, the Bohs had Harry Tulip and Paul Hodge on target this time and Northbank could only muster a single reply from Dave Glendinning.

Seaton Burn are still embroiled in a battle for First Division survival and despite scoring through Stu Taylor and Rob McDonald they were beaten 4-2 at home by Hebburn Reyrolle who ended their own miserable run of seven straight defeats in away games.

Meanwhile, Red Row Welfare are in trouble and facing the displeasure of league officials. Isolated on the bottom rung of the First Division table, the Welfare failed to field a team to face Alnwick Town at home in a semi-final tie of the Northern Alliance Charity Cup.

DIVISION TWO – KAH BROTHERS KEEP LEADERS ON COURSE
The top four sides in the Second Division all won last Saturday and current leaders South Shields United along with second-placed Amble United continued their battle for supremacy.

South Shields United held onto pole position thanks to their seventh home win on the trot and beat North Shields Athletic 2-0. Aaron Kah got United off the mark five minutes before half time and only five minutes remained when Tijan Kah doubled the lead to make the points secure.

With two games in hand Amble United kept the heat on South Shields and have retained a hundred percent record on home turf. They beat visitors Willington Quay Saints 2-1 to keep the run going despite falling behind to Glen Gallon’s 18th minute opener for the Saints. Midway through the second half ex-Alnwick striker Ian Common got Amble back on terms and only fiver minutes later their winner was put away by Michael Dance.

Wideopen & District held onto third spot and their 1-0 win at home to Benfield Chemfica stretched an unbeaten run to eight games. Recent signing Liam Jubb scored Wideopen’s vital winner in the opening half but, despite watching his team complete a league double, manager Alan Booth admitted that Chemfica had looked the better team for long periods in the game.

In fourth place at present, Forest Hall are well off the pace for possible promotion and were lucky to beat lowly visitors Amble FC 1-0. There were only four minutes to spare when Michael Reay scored the game’s only goal to leave Amble still seeking their first away win of the campaign.

On purely mathematical terms Stobswood Welfare are still capable of gaining promotion, having played only twelve games so far. The Welfare are still in the bottom half of the table but signalled their continuing interest by beating visitors Wallsend Boys’ Club 2-1. Josh Hay’s eleventh goal of the season put Stobswood in front and, after Rob Nolan levelled with a tremendous volley for the Boys’ Club, Kerry Shotton restored the Welfare’s lead.

Whitley Bay Town secured only their second home win by beating Newcastle BT 3-1 and reviving hopes of getting clear of the basement. A headed goal for Eddie Garratt before the interval and a second on the hour, direct from a free kick by Richard Biggs, gave the Town a clear lead. Dave Thompson reduced the deficit by opening BT’s account but the Bay’s anxieties were eased when Garratt bagged his second goal in the 85th minute.

Still with no win to their credit, Tynemouth United remained isolated on the bottom run and were beaten 5-3 at home by Wallsend Town. Leading 2-1 at the interval, United’s scorers were Oye Olaoyelade (2) and Chris Grieves but they were stripped of their advantage. Wallsend built on Mark Brewis’s opener and completed their tally with further goals shared by Ryan Arnott, Stephen Dodd, Anthony Senegoga and Phil Brown.