A RAY OF CUP HOPE FOR HEDDON

By Bill Gardner
Despite their bottom rung perch in the Premier Division, Heddon were still good enough to see off Second Division opponents Cullercoats Custom Planet in the third round of the Kicks Leisure League Cup. Warren Fisher’s outfit had Dave Tremble and Daniel Robison on target to secure a 2-1 victory with Edmund Garrett replying for the losers.

Newcastle University, second bottom in the top flight, also booked themselves a place in the last eight by beating First Division side Wallington 2-1 at Cochrane Park. Ben Castillo and Michael Forrest hit back successfully for the Students after Ross Donnelly had fired their visitors into a 55th minute lead.

Shankhouse lifted the League Cup in 2005 but, despite their third round home advantage in this year’s competition, were beaten 4-3 by lower-ranked Gosforth Bohemians. The Bohs, leading 2-0 at the interval, always had their noses in front and their marksmen were Harry Tulip (2), John Hewitt and Ben Edusei. Darren Naylor (2) and Anthony Moran replied in vain for Shankhouse.

In two of three quarter-final tussles getting the go-ahead in the Northumberland Senior Bowl, Killingworth Sporting and Alnwick Town made progress although both needed extra time to see them through.

Killingworth were away to Blyth Town who had been Bowl winners in the previous two campaigns but their hopes of a hat-trick were dashed and Killy won 4-2 with goals shared by Kevin Westphal, Nick Hindhaugh, Andrew Edmundsen and Kevin Grahamslaw. Both of Blyth’s replies came from Chris Lisle.

Alnwick Town made the semi-final cut with a 3-2 victory away to Cullercoats and they had a hat-trick hero in Tony Brown. Craig Deighton scored both of the Cullercoats goals.
In the Premier Division, runaway leaders Wark boosted their title hopes by beating second-placed visitors Walker Central 2-1. Walker’s Paul Newton-Eddie cancelled out Edward Brazier’s early opener for the home side but in the 87th minute Wark’s lead was restored by Tony Lancaster.

Carlisle City passed up another chance of improving on their current fifth place and stayed put after their goal-less draw away to Cramlington Town. But City’s neighbours Harraby Catholic Club are moving up the table and recorded their fourth win on the trot by beating hosts Ponteland United 2-1. Ross Phillips returned to the centre of Ponteland’s defence, having been sidelined by injury for four months. And Pont should have taken the lead after ten minutes when Richard Kent hit the bar and from the rebound Billy Holden’s header was cleared off the line.

Only three minutes later Kent was in on goal again but his effort was saved by visiting keeper Andy Wills. And after seventeen minutes Harraby were in front when Andrew Douglas’s low cross was turned into his own net by United’s Glenn Ford.

Despite this setback Ponteland had Liam McIvor and Ford bringing good saves out of Wills but as the pitch started to cut up scoring chances became limited. And the Cumbrians still had their noses in front at the interval.

Five minutes after the restart Harraby doubled their lead however when Pont defender Craig Daglish brought James Earl down and Mike Swift beat Havelock with his spot kick. But the visitors were reduced to ten men after 65 minutes by the sending off of keeper Wills who was replaced in goal by Ian Milburn. The substitute keeper was unable to keep out the resulting penalty taken by home substitute Andrew Davidson.

Despite playing with ten men Harraby could have increased their lead but Andy Douglas blasted his shot over the bar after meeting Balmer’s fine cross. Pont nearly snatched an equaliser through Holden as he fired narrowly wide after beating Milburn to a loose ball. Then In the dying seconds another red card was flourished, this time to Ponteland’s Glenn Ford.

Improving Murton won 4-1 at home to Seaton Delaval to lift themselves clear of the relegation zone. Goals for Paul Wintrip (2) and Karl Garside put Murton well clear at half time and Martin Pearce completed their tally after 75 minutes. Only five minutes remained when player-manager Nicky Gray finally got Delaval off the mark.

DIVISION ONE – RELIEF FOR WHITLEY
The promotion race at the head of the First Division has come to a temporary halt due to the combined effects of cup games and the weather. But Whitley Bay A moved up into fourth place thanks to their 4-2 victory away to strugglers Newcastle East End.

This was a ninth defeat on the trot for the East Enders who were also docked points last week and Whitley were thankful to bring their own losing run to an end. After falling behind to a Dean Holmes opener for their hosts only a minute after kick off the Bay soon got their act together. By half time they had hit back through Jamie Lyndon, Dean Porter, Chris Gilhespie and Joe Riley. The East End’s second goal was scored in the 80th minute by Anthony Johnson but they were well beaten.

In the only other league game in the First Division, Chopwell Officials made it four wins on the trot by beating lowly hosts Northbank 5-2 over in Carlisle. A brace claimed by Chris Grainger gave the Cumbrians an early two-goal lead. A successful spot kick by Lee Best got Chopwell off the mark before the interval and they ran the show after the sending off of Northbank’s Mark Stevenson early in the second half. Best went on to score his second for the visitors and further goals were added by Roland Lee, Chris Gill and Andrew Smith.

Gateshead Rutherford failed to pick up their dream ticket in the Durham FA Trophy. Victory over their semi-final hosts Chester-le-Street Whitehills would have earned them a cup final meeting with Alliance colleagues Hebburn Reyrolle but instead they suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat. Craig Horsfall netted for Rutherford to make it all square at 1-1 at half time but after they had Aaron Sheriff red-carded they were fighting a losing battle.

DIVISION TWO – TYNEMOUTH CLIMB OUT OF DANGER
Only two of four league games beat the weather in the Second Division with home games involving Forest Hall and Wideopen & District having to be postponed. And both Newcastle BT and Tynemouth United picked up maximum points.

Goals for Greg Palmer and Dan Sherliker (2) inside the first half hour gave Newcastle BT a three-goal interval lead at home to Wallsend Boys Club. The visitors came back strongly with replies from Anthony Williamson and Michael Starkie in the 70th and 80th minutes but BT hung on to win 3-2 and they’ve now remained unbeaten in their last seven games on home turf.

The importing of several new players has been beneficial for Tynemouth United and the Seasiders have hauled themselves out of the Second Division basement thanks to four straight wins on their own patch. Swalwell became their latest victims and were beaten 4-2 by their new look hosts. Tynemouth avenged their earlier defeat at Swalwell with goals scored this time by Chris Hutchinson, Dean Marsh and Mike Armstrong who bagged himself a brace. Chris Smith and Stuart Rook were responsible for Swalwell’s replies.

In the first round of the Pin Point Recruitment Charity cup there was a remarkable 8-4 victory for Whitley Bay Town at home to Willington Quay Saints. The Town had James Mitchinson and Chris Fairley both claiming hat-tricks with their other two goals put away by Chris Atkin and Ben Kiddie. Willington’s replies came from Mark Henderson (2), Glen Johnson and Phil Dolan. The cup-tie was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of Saints chairman Graham Ford (brother of manager Trevor Ford) who died suddenly last week at the age of 51.

Once again there was little action in the Northumberland Minor Cup as the fixtures continued to pile up due to pitches being waterlogged. But Newcastle Chemfica made further progress at the expense of fifth round visitors and Northern Alliance colleagues Berwick United.

Chemfica, who knocked out cup holders Blakelaw in a previous round, were drawing 2-2 with Berwick at the end of extra time thanks to strikes by Mike Crozier and Paul Brown. But they were able to celebrate after winning 4-2 in the resultant spot kick shoot-out.