Northern Football Alliance Round Up - Saturday 26th February 2011

There was drama at both ends of the Premier League table on a day when the goals were raining in.

Cramlington Town got themselves off the foot of the table with a 6-1 demolition of Stocksfield while leaders Alnwick Town scored three goals in the final ten minutes to salvage an unlikely point at Killingworth Sporting.

Stocksfield were looking to move further clear of the relegation zone and got off to a good start as Steve Foster shot them ahead in the 20th minute.

But Cristen Priest fired in the equaliser from 20 yards and Chris Bond took advantage of a goalmouth scramble to net number two from close range.

Dan Nearey turned and hit a low shot into the corner of the net for the third before Bond was again on target for the fourth.

Town were in dreamland when Kieran Parsons followed up his own parried shot to make it five and Kevin Long cut in from the right wing and placed the ball in the far corner to complete the devastation.

Alnwick Town were left shell-shocked as goals from Paul Dunn and Jorge Vollabio put Killingworth 2-0 up within four minutes of the kick-off.

Although Ben Keenan pulled one back in the 15th minute with a penalty, a deflected shot from Dunn and a Jay McAnespie goal in the 76th minute put them 4-1 down and their unbeaten record looked as though it was about to be smashed.

However, late goals from Chris Moffat, Gary Bailes and Scott McMullan completed an amazing comeback.

But Ponteland United are now just two points behind Town in second spot as they recorded a 4-0 win at Shankhouse with Andrew Davidson, Gavin Wood an own-goal and Sean Willis the scorers. Shankhouse had a player dismissed at 2-0.

Carlisle City recovered from Kevin Hay’s headed opener for Gateshead Rutherford as they came back to win 3-2.

Olly Driver (2) and a Karl Murphy penalty put the Cumbrians in charge, while David Loughlin added a second for Rutherford late on.

Blyth Town blooded two youngsters who have made the move up from their Junior set-up and they impressed in the 2-0 success over Percy Main Amateurs.

Jack Donnison was superb throughout and his old youth team mate Kyle Devlin looked promising as he came on from the bench as goals from Chris Lyle (55) and Dan Beresford (80) settled it and Murton slumped to the bottom of the table as they went down 1-0 at home to Seaton Delaval Amateurs, Steve Addison’s fifth minute strike proving the only goal of the game.

Ashington Colliers sent Wark crashing out the Kicks Leisure George Dobbins League Cup with a stunning 7-4 victory.

Gareth Bainbridge netted a hat-trick for the Colliers with Simon Cunningham (2) Paul Dunn and Joe Moscrop were all on target for Ashington with Wark’s replies coming from Tony Lancaster (3) and Thomas McAlindon.
In Division One, goals from Chris Moffat, Ben Haddick and Paul Thompson kept Heddon in third spot as they won 3-1 at Newcastle East End. Derek Lowson was on target for East End.
Berwick United Ultras are up to fifth after a 3-1 victory over Cullercoats.

Stuart Wright, Kieran Lafferty and Martin Cornish hit the net for the Borderers with Craig Deighton on the scoresheet for the visitors while Newcastle University’s George Coyle scored the only goal of the game as they took the three points from a closely-contested game at Wallington.

Forest Hall were sent crashing out of the Pin Point Recruitment Charity Cup after extra time by Second Division Simonside SC.

Alan Kelly scored for Forest Hall and Shaun Edwards netted for Simonside as the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. Craig Lumley and Ben Cooper scored the extra-time goals that put Simonside into the third round.

Gosforth Bohemian went through as they beat Division Two’s Swalwell 4-0. Ian Harris scored a hat-trick and Pete Gasden added the other.

Wallsend Town’s Gary Hall netted a double as they beat Tynemouth United 3-3 to stay on top of Division Two.

Hall had Sean Reid scored to put Town in control, but Steve Matthew fired in two penalties to level things up for United, who were reduced to ten men. Hall grabbed a last minute winner.

Goals from Steve McLaughlin and Gareth Davies gave Newcastle Chemfica Independent a 2-0 win at Northbank while Wallsend Boys Club were beaten 3-2 at home to Red House Farm.

Goals from Shaun Forster, Robert Nolan and Martin Soulsby put Red House 3-0 up at the break and although Boys Club hit back with a Gaz Shaw double, it just wasn’t enough.

Matty Guthrie’s 65th minute saw Whitley Bay Town beat Cramlington United and bottom side Wideopen & District went down 2-1 at home to Cullercoats Custom Planet. Mark Grant scored for Wideopen, but replies from Mark Wilkinson and G. Hall saw them slump to their tenth defeat of the season.

Stuart Taylor, Sean Barker and Ian Armstrong scored for Seaton Burn in a 3-1 win at Willington Quay Saints with Gareth Pugh on target for the consolation.

Jon Tait

Northern Football Alliance Round Up - Saturday 19th February 2011

Andrew Davidson netted a double in a 4-1 over Murton that moved Ponteland United back to within four points of Premier leaders Alnwick Town.

Davidson opened his account in the first minute with a superb 25-yard chip and although Gavin Nesbitt levelled for the struggling second-bottom vistors in the 35th minute, Davidson was handily placed to shoot the black and whites back in front on the hour.

Further goals from John Dunn on 65 and Sean Willis on 75 kept up the pressure on Alnwick at the top.

Reigning Champions Harraby CC are up to fourth after a 5-1 demolition of sixth-placed Blyth Town.

Sergio Royo lashed in a low shot from 20 yards for the opener in the 18th minute and although Blyth got themselves back into it in the 33rd minute when Thomas Haigh hit a low shot inside the post, it took just four minutes for Harraby to hit back as Marc Shiel looped in a header.

An unlucky Town defender slid to poke a Dan Balmer cross into his own net just before half time and Shiel side-footed in number four from 10 yards in the 74th minute.
New Harraby signing Ryan Errington was sent tumbling in the box in stoppage time and Mike Swift stepped up to smash the spot kick into the roof of the net.

The result takes Harraby to within two points of local rivals Carlisle City in third, and they were left kicking themselves as they went down 3-1 at Seaton Delaval Amateurs. Robbie Kilgour shot the Cumbrians ahead in the 25th minute but Delaval’s Michael Fenwick equalised in the 59th minute. Fenwick scored his second ten minutes later and Craig Johnson added the third in the 83rd minute. Both sides finished the game with ten men as Delaval’s Jordan Fry and City’s Gareth Hollins were sent off.

Premier Division Stocksfield eased into the semi finals of the Pin Point Recruitment Charity Cup with a 4-0 success over Second Division Cullercoats Custom Planet.
Although the visitors hit the woodwork early on, Steve Forster’s 26th minute volley put Stocksfield in charge.

Jamie Sharkey fired into the net from close range and Foster’s deflected shot effectively killed off the tie right on half time, with sub Eddie Brazier adding number four in the 69th minute.
In the only league game from both Divisions One and Two to beat the weather, Morpeth Sports Club’s Jonathon Harland was on target in a 1-1 draw with Peterlee Town.

Gavin Hattrick’s goal put Whitley Bay A into the semi finals of the Northumberland FA Minor Cup as they beat Blyth Spartans A 1-0. The Seahorses will now face fellow Division One side Forest Hall for a place in the final while Gosforth Bohemian have been drawn at home to Blyth Isabella in the other semi.

Mark Fitzpatrick and Joe Johnson hit two each for Swalwall as they beat Whitley Bay Town 4-1 to go into the Pin Point Recruitment Amateur Cup final. Paulo Black grabbed Town’s consolation.
The weather decimated the rest of the fixtures list with officials squelching through pools of water to call off a total of seventeen Northern Alliance fixtures.

Jon Tait

Northern Football Alliance Round Up - Saturday 12th February 2011

Alnwick Town moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 win at struggling Murton.
Tom Vickers shot Town ahead in the tenth minute and although Murton levelled through a Karl Garside penalty on the half hour, there was no looking back for the black and whites as Chris Moffat and Gary Patterson netted the others.
Second-placed Ponteland United’s title hopes suffered a set-back as they went down 3-1 at third-placed Carlisle City.
Dean Gate finished a left wing cross from 12 yards to put them ahead in the 20th minute of a first half that saw them on top.
But Pont keeper Gareth Powell bundled an in-swinging Tom Lucock corner into his own net under heavy pressure for the equaliser two minutes after half-time and Jamie Heath netted from another Lucock cross to make it 2-1 in the 63rd minute. Carl Murphy combined with Steve Skinner before drilling in the third in the 72nd minute.
Malcolm Morien’s curling free-kick gave Percy Main the lead at Harraby CC, but the Cumbrians levelled six minutes later as Mark Shiel struck.
Dan Balmer tapped in from 4 yards for number two in the 31st minute and he added his second in the 83rd to give Harraby a 3-1 victory and move them up to fourth.
Chris Douglas scored with a late penalty into the net as Gateshead Rutherford drew 2-2 at Stocksfield.
With both sides keen to pull clear of the relegation zone, it was Stocksfield that struck first through Steve Foster a minute before half time.
John Dewhurst equalised a couple of minutes after the break, but Stocksfield regained the advantage through a disputed Wayne Stewart penalty on the hour. There were more protests when Rutherford were awarded the spot-kick that Douglas tucked away in the 80th minute and the home side finished with ten men as Scott Johnstone was given an early bath.
First Division leaders Hebburn Reyrolle had Ray Oshin, Craig Watson and a Michael Younger on target in a 4-1 at Coundon & Leaholm Youth that put them into the Final of the Durham FA Trophy.
In Division One, Daniel Robinson grabbed an injury-time winner for Heddon as they came from behind to beat Cullercoats 2-1.
Stuart Wright struck the opener for the visitors in the 25th minute, but Mark Hope equalised in the 33rd minute.
There were only seconds remaining when Robinson beat three defenders and rounded the goalkeeper to tuck the winner into the empty net.
The result saw Heddon leapfrog Cullercoats up to third while Jonathon Hartland’s two goals couldn’t prevent Morpeth SC going down 3-2 at home to North Shields Athletic and bottom side Forest Hall were also beaten 3-2 at home by Newcastle Uni.
Joel Murray and Michael Sandberg were on target for improving Forest Hall, but they are yet to take a point in the league and counters from Benjamin Burt (2) and Daniel Clements won it for the Students.
Tony Adlandey and Gareth Allen scored for South Shields United as they beat Second Division Northbank 2-0 in the Pin Point Recruitment Charity Cup.
The rain was the only winner as the rest of the fixture list was decimated by the weather and there was also disappointment as Second Division basement side Newcastle BT tended their resignation from the Northern Alliance.

Jon Tait

Northern Football Alliance Round Up - Saturday 5th February 2011

Alnwick Town packed their trophy cabinet in the 1960s and early 70s with a bumper haul of eight Northern Alliance Championships.
But the silverware had been gathering a bit of dust until the St. James’s Park outfit lifted the Northumberland FA Senior Benevolent Bowl last season.
And they may be reaching for the Brasso again come the summer as a Tom Vickers double at Carlisle City saw them move four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Vickers hit the opener in under sixty seconds at third-placed City and Tom Brown added a second just before the break.
Mark Graham pulled one back for the Sky Blues in the 54th minute, but Vickers netted number three in the 66th minute.
Steven Rooke netted a second for City in injury time but Alnwick took the points and are now 12 points clear of third-placed City with a game in hand.
Gateshead Rutherford claimed three important points in their fight against relegation with a comfortable 3-0 win against bottom of the table Cramlington Town. Isaac Mitchell put the home side ahead on 15 minutes after Kevin Hay’s header was saved and Craig Horsfall fired home from the edge of the box to double the lead midway through the first half.
Although Town battled gamely in the second, it came as no surprise when Rutherford added a third as sub Eddie Keenan recorded his first goal for the club on 73 minutes after good work from Marcus Helson and John Dewhurst.
Murton slipped deeper into relegation trouble as they went down 3-1 at Wark. Matthew McLaughlin, Dale Telfer and Matthew Blackett were on target with Carl Garside netting the reply.
Seaton Delaval Amateurs needed a penalty shoot out to see off First Division Newcastle University in the quarter finals of the Northumberland FA Senior Benevolent Bowl.
The match ended all-square at 2-2 after 90 minutes with Michael Robinson and Craig Johnson scoring for Delaval and George Coyle and John Addy netting for the Students. Delaval keeper Dave Herrington saved two spot-kicks in the shoot-out as Delaval won 3-0.
The Ashington Colliers goal took a battering from Blyth Town, but they went into the last four thanks to Mark Pattie’s early goal and Percy Main Amateurs joined them as Tony Browell’s 76th minute header was the knock out blow for Ponteland United.
Hebburn Reyrolle moved six points clear at the top of Division One as Alan Pegram netted a 74th minute winner at Amble United. Shannon Forth’s 30th minute opener for Mark Collingwood’s unbeaten side was cancelled out by United’s Lee Harker.
Rob Watson and Garth Armstrong were on target for Cullercoats in their 2-0 victory over Peterlee while Heddon had Daniel Robinson, Mark Hope, Kevin Irwin and Jason Pearson on the scoresheet in a 4-0 win at North Shields Athletic.
Morpeth Sporting Club were trailing Newcastle East End 1-0 at half time but Scott Bowman hit four, Jonathon Harland two and Graeme Carter got in on the act as they ran out 7-2 victors and moved away from the relegation zone.
Bottom side Forest Hall went into the semi finals of the Northumberland FA Minor Cup as they beat fellow First Division strugglers Stobswood Welfare 3-1 after extra time. Matthew Smith, Michael Reay and Darren Henderson scored.
Gosforth Bohemians striker Josh Gow netted twice and Matty Atkin added the other in a good 3-1 win over Bedlington Terriers reserves but Division Two leaders Newcastle Chemfica Independent were left red-faced as they suffered a Cup shock, going out 4-2 at Blyth Isabella after goals from Michael Harrison and Alex Tooley had seemingly put them in control.
First Division Whitley Bay A had Sean Jobson, Alex Redfearn, Darren Reay, Marc Nicholson and Gav Hathrick on the scoresheet as they beat Tynemouth United 5-2 to go into the Minor Cup quarter finals. Lee Garwood and Steven Matthews scored for United. South Shields United crashed out of the Durham FA Minor Cup 3-2 at home to Sunderland Thorney Close Inn.
Shaun Edwards’ first half goal was cancelled out by Swalwell’s Chris Smith in the 84th minute at the top of Division Two while Dan Haggerston scored twice for Cullercoats Custom Planet as they beat Red House Farm 2-1. Lee Johnson netted the consolation.
Nicky Hara’s 88th minute strike wasn’t enough for Seaton Burn as they went down 2-1 at home to Whitley Bay Town, while Willington Quay Saints’ Mark Henderson hit a double in their 2-1 win over Hexham. Liam Heenan netted for the Tynedalers.

Jon Tait

Northern Football Alliance Round Up - Saturday 29th January 2011

A heavy overnight frost played havoc with the Northern Alliance fixtures programme, leaving a number of pitches rock hard and unplayable.
Amble United were knocked out of the Kicks Leisure George Dobbins League Cup third round as they went down 3-2 at home to Percy Main Amateurs.
Ross Gair and Josh Hay netted for United but goals from Pierre-Luc Coiffait, Tony Browell and Steven Shadforth saw the Premier League outfit through.
Simon Cunningham shot Ashington Colliers ahead in the 60th minute and Michael Hogg added two more in the 65th and 78th minute as they beat Division One Newcastle University 3-1 in the same competition. Dave Kewn hit a late consolation.
The all-Premier League clash between Shankhouse and Walker Central was a fairly even affair, with Central netting two late goals to take it 3-1.
Grant Kershaw hit a 13th minute opener for Central but Shankhouse hit back through Michael Bell. Central’s Nabby Benny scored a decisive second in the 76th minute and Paul Chapman sealed the victory in the 89th minute to put Central in the hat for the fourth round draw..
Only one game went ahead in the Premier League, with Killingworth Sporting winning 4-0 at bottom side Cramlington Town.
Anthony Grahamslaw fired in two penalties, in the 3rd and 50th minutes while Simon Patterson made it three in the 70th minute and Craig Hartley added number four with ten minutes to go.
Leaders Alnwick Town’s fixture at Murton was postponed, as was the top four clash between Ponteland United and Heaton Stannington and Wark’s game with Seaton Delaval.
Gateshead Rutherford v. Harraby CC, Carlisle City v. Blyth Town and Stocksfield’s Pin Point Recruitment Charity Cup second round game with Second Division Cullercoats Custom Planet were all further victims of the weather.
It was the same story in Division One as with the games hit hard by the freezing conditions. The matches at Cullercoats and Heddon, where they faced Peterlee Town and Wallington respectively, were off, as was South Shields United’s ill-fated Durham FA Minor Cup clash against Sunderland Thorney Close Inn and Whitley Bay A’s visit to Second Division Tynemouth United.
The Pin Point recruitment Charity Cup second round games featuring Forest Hall and Simonside SC and Gosforth Bohemians and Swalwell were also victims of rock-hard pitches.
But Stobswood Welfare striker Adam Shanks will be pleased that their game gotr the go-ahead as he scored four in a 7-0 drubbing of Morpeth Social Club.
Chris Glass, Dave King and Kevin Bell joined Shanks on the scoresheet as Welfare moved to within a point of Morpeth, though they remain second bottom of the table.
Newcastle East End were also high-scorers with a 6-0 demolition of North Shields Athletic.
Craig Pleasant hit two in the romp with Sean Graham, Wes Richardson, Lee Stephenson and Richy Hoggins all getting in on the act, while leaders Hebburn Reyrolle continued their unbeaten run as they drew 2-2 with Berwick United Ultras.
Newcastle Chemfica Independent’s 4-2 win over Wallsend Town put them top of the table. Steve McLoughlin scored twice and he was joined on the scoresheet by Martin Dixon and Phillip Bone. Dekka Graham and an unfortunate Paul Brown own goal were Wallsend’s scorers.
Basement side Newcastle BTs were beaten 2-1 at Whitley Bay Town where Jed Findlay struck twice. Greg Palmer scored for BT.
Goals in each half from Chris Baker and Dave Hewitt sealed a 2-0 win for Seaton Burn at Cramlington United while Andrew McBeth, Glen Gallon and Noel Clynch were on target for Willington Quay Saints in a 5-3 home reverse to Red House Farm. The games at Hexham v. Wallsend Boys Club and Wideopen & District v. Northbank were both off.

Jon Tait

Northern Football Alliance Round Up - Saturday 22nd January 2011

Northumberland FA Minor Cup/ Durham FA Minor Cup

First Division Whitley Bay A went into the fourth round of the Northumberland FA Minor Cup as beat Second Division Hexham 5-0, and there were further County Cup successes for Gosforth Bohemians and Stobswood Welfare.
Bohemians hit a late winner in a 2-1 success at Second Division Seaton Burn, who had Ian Armstrong on target from the penalty spot and Adam Shanks hit a hat-trick for the Welfare in their 6-1 thumping of Blyth Town Reserves. Chris Glass (2) and Robert Baker got the others.
Morpeth Sporting Club were left red-faced as they were held 2-2 at North Northumberland League Bedlington Terriers Reserves before crashing out 4-3 on penalties.
South Shields United’s Durham FA Minor Cup second round clash with Sunderland Thorney Close Inn was postponed and Murton were dumped out of the Durham FA trophy 2-1 at home by Coundon & Leaholm Youth, who now meet First Division Hebburn Reyrolle in the semi finals of the competition.

Kicks Leisure Cup Semi Finals

Alnwick Town are in the Kicks Leisure Cup Final as they beat Blyth Town 3-2.
Dale Kennedy gave Alnwick an early lead but Jeffrey Fuller equalised soon after.
Neil Catlow made it 2-1 but Blyth levelled through Craig Hopwood.
Tom Vickers struck the winner late on from the penalty spot.
Town will meet Seaton Delaval Amateurs in the Final.
Michael Fenwick shot them ahead in their clash with Percy Main Amateurs but Graham Smith levelled. With neither side able to produce a winner, Delaval won a thrilling penalty shoot-out 4-3.

Pin Point Recruitment Combination Cup

Last season’s runners-up Hebburn Reyrolle knocked Amble United out with a 2-1 win.
Channon North and Ray Oshin scored either side of half time and despite all Amble’s late pressure, they couldn’t force the issue and Lee Harker’s late goal was no more than a consolation.
Newcastle Uni beat Forest Hall 3-0 as Andrew Hartley struck twice for the students and Daniel Clements added the third after the break.

Pin Point Recruitment Amateur Cup

Wallsend Town capitalised on a goalkeeping blunder as they beat Wallsend Boys Club 1-0.
Boys Club missed some great chances, including a penalty after just five minutes, as they crashed out while Swalwell went into the last four with a 6-1 win at Wideopen.
Mark Fitzpatrick (2), Adam McVicker (2), Chris Smith and Joe Johnson scored after Charlie Noble had shot Wideopen ahead.

Premier Division

Ponteland United trail Alnwick Town by just a point at the top of the table after beating Shankhouse 2-0 in a close encounter.
Andrew Davison broke the deadlock in the 68th minute and Harry Tulip sealed the victory in the 87th minute..
Carlisle City’s Mark Graham scored the only goal of the game as they moved up into third spot with a narrow victory over basement side Cramlington Town and Killingworth Sporting were beaten by an injury time header from Gateshead Rutherford’s Andrew Reay.
Marc Pattie struck twice as Ashington Colliers won 3-0 at Stocksfield. Michael Hogg netted the other but was sent off later on.
Walker Central beat Wark 7-2 and had Nabby Benny (2), John Robson, Liam Mulligan, Grant Kershaw, Ben Taylor and Abbubaker Sallinon target.. Wark’s replies came from Tony Lancaster and a Paddy MacAlindon penalty.

Division One

Newcastle East End suffered a heavy 7-2 home defeat at the hands of Cullercoats.
Graeme Allen, Craig Deighton and David Fairless all hit two apiece while sub Steven Hart added the other. Lee Halpin and Derek Lowson scored for East End.
Jamie Punton, Craig Heugh, Stewart Wright and John Dryden scored for Berwick United Ultras as they beat Peterlee Town 4-3 and Heddon were 4-1 victors over North Shields Athletic.
Dan Robinson, John Pearson and Kevin Urwin (2) were Heddon’s marksmen while Steven Ardley scored Athletic’s consolation.

Division Two

The goals were flying in in Division Two.
Tynemouth United went joint-top of the table after a 6-2 drubbing of Willington Quay SaintsLee Garwood scored a hat-trick with Michael Armstrong, Darren Turnbull and Scott Rowan also on target.
Simonside SC thrashed Cullercoats CP 7-0 with Ricky Brown, Steven Pearce, Kyle Rylie, Ben Cooper and Greg Wylie all on the score sheet while Sean Edwards added a classy double.
Red House Farm thumped bottom side Newcastle BT 7-0. Rob Nolan netted a hat-trick while his team-mate Liam Brown got two. Martin Soulsby and Aaron Lewis added the others.
Paul Fiddler, Scott Thompson and Andrew Rogerson scored for Northbank as they beat Whitley Bay Town 3-0.

Jon Tait