Wednesday's football March 2


WEARSIDE LEAGUE by MALCOLM PRATT
 
AFTER  suffering  only their second defeat of the season in the  previous  game, Wearside  League  leaders  Easington  Colliery  bounced  back  to  form  against Annfield Plain last night.
 
Former  Durham  City  player  Simon Todd, signed from Seaham Red  Star,  made  a dream  debut  giving the Colliers a third-minute lead. His long-range shot  flew into the net, giving Plain goalkeeper Stephen Kennedy no chance.
 
The  visitors  quickly levelled as Dominic Elliott finished off a  nicely-worked move  but  two goals in a minute early in the second period had  Easington  back in the ascendancy.
 
James  Donnelly  cut in from the right and fired into the top corner of the  net before  Dale  Crawford  made  it 3-1 with a fierce drive from the  edge  of  the penalty area.
 
Easington  remain  nine  points in front of New Marske who came from  behind  to win 3-1 at Silksworth.
 
James  Gillespie finished off a good move down the left, slotting the ball  home at the far post after just a couple of minutes.
 
The  Wearsiders  though  were  then undone when they failed to  defend  two  set pieces.  Shaun  Howes  equalised following a corner and  Michael  Mackin  struck from a free kick.
 
Midway  through  the  second period, Shaun Mackin beat goalkeeper  John  McClean and  although  they pressed in the later stages, the Wearsiders rarely  troubled Seasiders' keeper Justin Hutchinson.
 
Ryhope CW stay third despite conceding two points to visitors Redcar Athletic.
 
Sam  Young  headed  in  a corner after only three minutes  but  by  the  seventh minute John Butler had equalised for Ryhope.
 
Houghton  Town  gained a welcome victory when they defeated Kirkbymoorside  with a 13th-minute goal from Chris Curtis which was worthy of winning any game.
 
Curtis  was  well outside the penalty area when he struck a superb volley  which rocketed  into  the  top  corner of the net giving  goalkeeper  Aaron  Rivis  no chance.
 
Both  teams  produced an excellent game of attacking football and despite  going down  to 10 men on 70 minutes with the dismissal of Rob McDermott, the  visitors had Houghton penned back into their own half but failed to equalise.
 
Boldon  CA  celebrated the switching on of their new floodlights when they  went nap against Coxhoe Athletic.
 
Kris  Robertson  bagged  a brace of goals with Michael Meek,  James  Hudson  and Shaun Reay (pen) completing a comprehensive 5-0 victory.
 
Alan  Blair, Laurie Black and Dean Rogers (2), swept Windscale to a 4-1  success at Willington whose only reply came from debutant John Roberts.
 
Cleator   Moor  Celtic  played  only  their  third  game  this  year  and  edged Hartlepool  2-1  with  goals  from Robbie Fowler and Craig  Padley.  Shaun  Ross replied for Pools.

Saturday's football February 26


WEARSIDE LEAGUE
by MALCOLM PRATT

EASINGTON Colliery were on the receiving end of the shock result of the season
on Saturday when Willington won at Hall Lane.

Andy Colledge's side went into the game having lost just once in 21 games and
boasting by far the best goals difference.

They were firm favourites to take another step towards promotion but were
rocked on 33 minutes when Jason White beat the offside trap and slotted the
ball wide of goalkeeper Nicky Lawson.

Willington went two up after an hour. The ball stuck on the difficult surface
and when Easington's defenders failed to clear, Danny Lee pounced.

Just before the end the Colliers almost reduced the deficit as an effort
rebounded from the underside of the crossbar but Willington keeper Andrew
Stocks was quick to react.

Easington still command a nine-points lead but New Marske, whose fixture was
one of five to be postponed, now have two games in hand.

Prudhoe Town prop up the table after losing to Darlington RA despite scoring
first with a good effort from Andy Hoban.

Michael Richardson restored parity on the hour and six minutes from time, Nick
Petch beat goalkeeper Ross Thomas in a goalmouth scramble.

David Turner fired Annfield Plain into a halftime lead at home to Coxhoe
Athletic and Paul Henderson doubled the advantage with 10 minutes remaining.

At this stage, the Plain were coasting to victory but when Shaun Laverick
reduced the deficit on 87 minutes an exciting finale ensued. Coxhoe though
failed to claim an equaliser.

Alan Blair gave Windscale the lead after just 15 seconds at Kirkbymoorside for
whom goalkeeper Adam Maxon saved a Dean Rogers penalty before Ryan Cooper,
Johnny Brown and Uyi Ehima earned the points for the Yorkshiremen.

Ryhope CW, who are third top, had their fixture with Boldon CA called off and
the games between Silksworth and Cleator Moor Celtic, Houghton Town at Stockton
Town, Jarrow versus Ashbrooke Belford House and Wolviston against New Marske
also fell victim to waterlogged pitches.

Saturday's football February 19

 
WEARSIDE LEAGUE by MALCOLM PRATT
 
EASINGTON  Colliery still command a healthy lead at the top of the table but  it was  reduced  to nine points when New Marske managed to stage one of only  three games on Saturday.
 
The  Seasiders suffered a setback as Annfield Plain's Colin Snailham converted a penalty  but  a  minute  before  the interval New Marske  were  also  awarded  a spot-kick which Ricky Phillips fired past goalkeeper Stephen Kennedy.
 
It  remained  nip  and  tuck  until the home side  put  the  game  beyond  their opponents, scoring three times in eight minutes late in the game.
 
Daniel  Jones was on target before Phillips completed his hat-trick to help  New Marske into second place with a game in hand on Easington.
 
At  the  other end of the table Coxhoe Athletic  are second bottom  following  a three-goals defeat at home to Redcar Athletic.
 
Billy  Millington  bagged  a brace of goals in the first half and  although  the second  period  was  more evenly contested, James Kesterton made it  three  just before the end.
 
Jarrow  twice  came from behind to claim a point at Hartlepool.  Daniel  Corbett was  a  10th-minute  marksman  and before the break Dean Patton  rifled  in  the equaliser from the edge of the penalty area.
 
Within  three  minutes  of  resuming  Pools were again  in  front  through  Carl McDermott  and  there were only three minutes left on the clock as Paul  Turrell delivered  a  clinical  finish from 20 yards which gave home  goalkeeper  Philip Wilson no chance.
 
Four  league  fixtures  were called off as were the Sunderland  Shipowners'  Cup Semi-Finals  between  Easington  and Cleator Moor Celtic and  Ryhope  CW  versus Kirkbymoorside.
 

Saturday's football February 12


WEARSIDE LEAGUE by MALCOLM PRATT
 
THE  games involving the leading trio were postponed but Ashbrooke Belford House failed to take advantage and close in on their rivals.
 
Victory  would have lifted them into third place but despite scoring first, they suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Annfield Plain.
 
Mark   Green  raised  the  expectations  of  Tommy  Dobbing's  team  before  the introduction of Stephen Kirkbride early in the second period proved decisive.
 
It was Kirkbride who fired Annfield Plain back into the game and 20 minutes from time he was left with a simple tap-in for what proved to be the winning goal.
 
Ashbrooke  have  slipped  back to fifth and Windscale are now  fourth  following their thrilling five-goals contest with Willington.
 
The  Cumbrians  made  a dream start, scoring twice in the  opening  20  minutes. Player  manager Matthew Henney headed in at the near post on five minutes before Dean  Rogers  was  left with a simple chance following excellent  work  by  Alan Blair.
 
It looked all over for Willington as Andrew Hurley produced a tremendous 30-yard drive which swerved away from goalkeeper Chris Sawyer on its way into the net.
 
With 20 minutes remaining, however, Daniel Lee threw the visitors a lifeline and when  Michael Weston beat the offside trap after 75 minutes, the result was  all to play for.
 
Windscale  held  on for a 3-2 victory and are fourth - their highest  rating  so far.
 
Boldon CA have struggled near the bottom of the table for most of the season but they  marginally improved their position with a six-goals blast at Cleator  Moor Celtic.
 
There  was  no hint of the goals avalanche which was to follow when  both  sides managed just one apiece in the opening period.
 
Michael Dickinson struck for Celtic with Chris Robertson on target for the South Tynesiders who went on to dominate the second half.
 
Further  goals flowed from Shaun Reay (2), Michael Meek (2) and Shaun Heals with Barry Irvine claiming a second consolation for the hosts.
 
Coxhoe  Athletic slipped to second from bottom after losing by the only goal  to Darlington Cleveland Bridge.
 
The  outcome  of a poor game was decided in the 38th minute when  Dan  McLachlan fired home at the far post past Coxhoe goalkeeper Tom Orton.
 
Jarrow  grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser at Kirkbymoorside where Liam Clark had given them a ninth-minute lead, as his low shot found the net from the inside of the post.
 
Soon  afterwards  Peter Kane's penalty was saved by home goalkeeper Adam  Magsen and just before the interval, Rob McDermott levelled.
 
Sarjo  Cham gave the Yorkshiremen the lead for the first time midway during  the second  half  and it was not until the 91st minute that Peter Kirkham  earned  a point for the visitors.
 
Hartlepool's  game with Prudhoe Town was abandoned after just two minutes. Pools Philip  Ross broke the same leg he fractured two years ago and after being taken to  hospital  by ambulance, players from both teams decided they didn't want  to continue. Their wish was upheld by the referee.
 

Wednesday's football February 9


WEARSIDE LEAGUE by MALCOLM PRATT

EASINGTON Colliery and Ryhope CW were both on the receiving end of shock results in last night's Wearside League programme.

The Colliers went into their home fixture with Wolviston firm favourites but were rocked as the visitors enjoyed a 3-0 romp.

Ryan Hebb produced a good finish from the edge of the penalty area on 16 minutes and 12 minutes from time, Kallum Hannah doubled the visitors' lead.

In the last minute the Colliers threw everyone forward for a corner, including goalkeeper Niki Lawson and when the ball was cleared, David Aninakwah completed a comprehensive victory for Wolviston.

It was Easington's first reverse in 21 games but they still have a 10-points lead over Ryhope CW who were also surprisingly defeated, by Hartlepool.

The only goal came after 35 minutes when 16-year old Craig Hutchinson scored for the first time since joining Pools.

Silksworth also went down by the only goal to Stockton, whose scorer was David Johnson, and there was another defeat for Houghton Town who crashed 4-1 to Jarrow.

Peter Kane (2), Liam Clarke and Chris Coombes had the visitors four goals up until the 85th minute when Micky Curtis scored the goal of the game with a tremendous individual effort.

Prudhoe Town celebrated winning for only the second time in 24 games. Just before the end of their home fixture with Cleator Moor Celtic, Michael Pooley drove past Craig Devine.

Annfield Plain defeated Willington thanks to Colin Snailham (pen) and Jonathan Kemp. Mitchell Sowerby had levelled from the spot.