WEARSIDE LEAGUE
by MALCOLM PRATT
 
RYHOPE  CW  surged  to  the top of the Wearside League when  they  went  nap  at Willington last night.
 
Martin  Swales'  side  made  a dream start, scoring twice  in  the  opening  two minutes with a Richard Jordan header and a drive from Anthony Ross.
 
Willington,  second bottom with just one win in six attempts, hit back as  Henry Drummond  delivered  a clinical finish from outside the penalty area  but  there was no stopping Ryhope.
 
Ross  drove  home  for  his second goal of the night  and  before  the  interval Ryhope just about secured victory as Philip Hall also found the target.
 
Early  in the second period, Jordan completed the scoring and his goal was  just sufficient to lift Ryhope above Scarborough Town on goals difference.
 
Easington  Colliery  produced a splendid performance to end  Scarborough  Town's 100 per cent record at Welfare Park.
 
Barry  Turton only passed a fitness test shortly before kick-off but he came  up trumps for the Colliers when he headed the only goal on 32 minutes.
 
Both   teams  had  scoring  opportunities  in  a  highly-entertaining  game  but Easington held out for their third win.
 
Ashbrooke  Belford  House  are third following a 3-1 victory over  Cleator  Moor Celtic.
 
A  tremendous  35-yard  strike  by  Lee Harrison  gave  the  hosts  an  interval advantage  but the Cumbrians restored parity in the 70th minute courtesy of  Ben Davison.
 
Davison  then  conceded an own goal and two minutes from time David Baxter  made sure of the points for the Wearsiders.
 
Silksworth,  who  had leaked just five goals in four games, suffered a 7-1  rout at  Jarrow  who  consolidated  fourth place. Lee Buglass  and  Chris  Lunn  both rifled   hat-tricks  and  Silksworth's  woes  were  compounded  as  Peter   Kane converted a penalty.
 
Andrew  Place  claimed  a consolation goal for Steven Smith's side  which,  with seven points out of 12, had made their best start in three years.
 
Coxhoe  Athletic  are  the only side without a point and they went down  5-1  at home  to  Kirkbymoorside whose marksmen were Paul Wilson (og), Daryl  Rivis  (2) and  Alex  Strickland (2). Michael Owens had equalised for Coxhoe with only  his team's third goal in six games.
 
Only  85  minutes  play  was  possible at Hartlepool  but  Annfield  Plain  were confirmed as 2-1 winners.
 
Roy  Gordon  hit  a  long-range effort which skidded off  the  wet  surface  and entered  the net via a post in the second period Paul Henderson doubled  Plain's lead with a breakaway effort.
 
Shaun  Ross fired into the roof of the net to raise Pools hopes but in the  85th minute the referee consulted the teams and curtailed the match.