PONT REACH CUP SEMIS

By Bill Gardner
After a break of almost two months, Ponteland United returned to action and faced a difficult test at home to Seaton Delaval in the second round of the Kicks Leisure Challenge Cup. United had celebrated a 1-0 victory in an identical league game and completed a league and cup double, beating their visitors 4-1 after extra time on this occasion.

United were at full strength with Liam McIvor returning up front following a three match suspension and they welcomed newcomer Jeff Forsyth to the starting line-up to make his debut..
After only five minutes Pont had a strong appeal for a penalty for handball turned down and the game settled into a pattern of robust challenges. And McIvor almost scored with a header when he got on the end of a cross from Richard Kent before firing over from thirty yards with the Delaval keeper out of position.

Half time arrived with honours even although Ponteland had created the majority of scoring chances and they continued in the same vein. McIvor and the lively Holden were causing problems for the visiting defence but Max Turner and Paul Hodgson wasted further opportunities to put their side in front. Holden however did the trick on the hour mark and when Delaval keeper Mundy palmed out a low cross from Turner, Holden reacted quickly to bang the loose ball into the roof of the net.

Delaval battled hard to get back on terms and Stephen Anderson was only thwarted by the combined challenges of United’s Ford and Forsyth. And with ten minutes to go the visitors got back on terms when a lofted free kick was headed powerfully home by centre back Andy Johnson.

After their long spells of inactivity over the winter, neither side relished an extra half hour in the heavy conditions but Ponteland proved the strongest. After Dean Gate restored their lead by finding the net when Andrew Davidson’s flag kick was helped on by McIvor they never looked likely to let things slip. Their superiority was confirmed when the tireless Kent bagged himself a brace in the second extra period to give a final score-line which was a truer reflection of the overall action. And Pont can now look forward to visiting either Blyth Town or Ashington Colliers in the forthcoming Challenge Cup semi-finals.

With the weather still biting into the fixture schedules only two of four games in the Premier Division, both over in Cumbria, were able to go ahead. And with several useful games in hand,

Harraby
Harraby Catholic Club got their league programme back under way after the long break by entertaining Cramlington Town and were soon on top and showing no signs of being ring rusty on their way to a stunning 9-0 victory.

Town keeper Gourley had kept out early efforts from James Earl and Daniel Balmer but Harraby were fired in front after twenty minutes by Balmer who beat Gourley from the edge of the box. The lead was extended after half an hour when Andrew Douglas was sent sprawling and the resultant penalty was tucked away by Mike Swift.

Before the break Harraby claimed a third goal when Earl’s long range free kick was headed home at the back post by Mark Thompson. The home side continued to apply heavy pressure after the change-over and when Marc Shiel turned the ball into the path of Douglas he ghosted past two defenders before firing into the bottom corner from twenty yards.

More goals seemed inevitable and Cramlington suffered further hits at regular intervals with Andrew Douglas turning out to be their chief tormentor. He banged in four second half goals to leave the visitors on their knees and for good measure Harraby’s final tally was boosted by strikes by James Earl and Aaron Roberts.

Harraby’s neighbours Carlisle City still haven’t managed to regain the form that installed them in fifth spot with a chance of having a say in the championship race. After three straight defeats City could only manage a 2-2 draw at home to a Newcastle University side second from bottom in the Premier Division pecking order.

Fifty minutes of stalemate was ended by Chris Major’s opener for Carlisle but it was cancelled out for the Students by James Gavin. Major’s second goal in the 78th minute restored City’s advantage but with six minutes to go Tom Milne levelled again for the University to earn them a badly-needed point.

The only one of four quarter-final ties in the Northumberland Senior Bowl to beat the weather was at Wark where the home side made progress by beating Ashington Colliers 2-1. Wark never looked likely to repeat their 4-0 success in an identical league fixture but just did enough. They had Jamie Peel and Marc Nixon scoring inside the first twenty minutes and the Colliers could only muster a single reply from Scott Smith.

First Division outfit Hebburn Reyrolle booked their place in the final of the Durham FA Trophy with a 3-0 victory at home to Darlington Cleveland Bridge. Ray Oshin’s first half brace set up Hebburn and midway through the second half a third goal put away by Simon Jacobs wrapped up the tie. The Reyrolle lads are now hoping for an all-Northern Alliance cup final against colleagues Gateshead Rutherford who travel to take on Chester-le-Street Whitehills in next Saturday’s other semi-final.


DIVISIONS ONE & TWO – NORTH SHIELDS GO TOP
Only one game beat the weather in the First Division and only because Peterlee Town forfeited home advantage and switched to the ground of opponents Chopwell Officials. The Newtowners didn’t benefit from the decision and were beaten 2-1. Mark Fitzpatrick and David Purdy netted for the winners with Peterlee’s single reply coming from Andre w Harrison.
North Shields Athletic have replaced Amble at the head of the Second Division table although the latter now have a couple of games in hand. Yet to be beaten at home, the Shieldsmen leapfrogged over their promotion rivals thanks to their 1-0 victory over lowly visitors Wallsend Boys Club. The game’s only and vital goal was scored by Antonio Mango midway through the first half.

Despite occupying third spot at the moment, Wideopen & District have been enduring a damaging lean spell and have gathered a meagre two points from their last five league games. The trend continued when they went down 2-1 away to Forest Hall who retained their unbeaten home record and Are now in fourth place. Kevin Baldwin claimed both of Forest’s first half goals to leave Wideopen chasing the game and they only managed a single reply by Adam Campbell after the interval.

Mid-table outfit Hexham are the Second Division’s draw experts having featured in eight stalemates already this season. They had drawn 2-2 against latest visitors Newcastle BT in an earlier meeting but this time, at Wentworth Park, they secured a 3-1 victory. 17-year-old Curtis Harvey, promoted from the club’s junior ranks, marked his senior debut with Hexham’s opener and the lead was doubled by a successful penalty taken by Scott Coates. On the stroke of half time Simon Mattock pulled a goal back for BT but their hopes were soon dashed. Home captain Gavin Cox scored a lucky third goal for Hexham when he got a touch to a flag kick.

Since importing several new players, Tynemouth United are finally showing signs of improvement and picked up their first points away from home. A 3-2 win against Cullercoats Custom Planet hoisted United clear of the basement while avenging an earlier 1-0 defeat by the Planetarians. Shane Brooks scored two of the Tynemouth goals and their vital third was a tremendous 30-yard direct free kick powered in by Stephen Matthews. The Cullercoats replies came from Edmund Garrett (penalty) and Nigel Morris.

CUP PROBLEMS MOUNT UP
Progress has been held up in the Northumberland Senior Bowl and Northumberland Minor Cup and in the Minor Cup there’s been a real fixture pile-up. And while Northern Alliance clubs are caught up in this county cup log jam their schedule of outstanding league games is causing even more headaches.

Of five Minor Cup matches scheduled for last weekend, only one was played and Morpeth Sporting Club beat fourth round visitors Killingworth Plough 5-0. An own goal gift completed Morpeth’s nap hand after their other goals were shared by Karl Snowden, John Paxton, Chris Tate and Scott Pocklington.