MATTY MAGIC HITS BUFFS
WEIRS AT THE DOUBLE AS HOUGHTON TOWN GET THE BETTER OF PREMIER RIVALS PELTON IN LEAGUE CUP TIE
Houghton Town got the better of Pelton RAOB 2-1 in a hugely entertainingLeagueCupthird round clash.
Both teams played good football, but Town pipped their Premier rivals with a well-taken brace from the lively Matty Weirs. Matthew Soulsby replied, while Joe Calvert was Houghton’s star man.
Sedgefield St Edmund’s won well, 3-1 at Sacriston Cricket Club, for whom John Harrison hit the opener after a rare mistake by keeper Carl Morris. Steven Bagshaw, GrahamKimeandJohnMaddison netted as Saints dominated the second half. Marc Bladen was the hosts’ top man.
Burnside WMC handed out a hammering to neighbours Houghton Wild Boar All-Stars in the Castle Insurance Alan Smith Memorial Trophy.
Max Stoker capped a manof-the-match display with a well-taken double – including a rasping opening goal – as Burnside ran out 6-0 winners, though they were kept at bay until the 24th minute.
Despite some good goalkeeping by stand-in keeper Steve Tunstall, individual errors proved costly as Grant Craig, Callum Munro, Craig Ellison and sub Shaun Dixon also netted. David Banks was best for Boar.
Sherburn Village demolished Ushaw Moor Cricket Club 6-1, with their top-flight quality telling against a determined visiting side.
ManofthematchJamesEllis led the way with a double, with Tom Young (2), Daniel Johnson and Steven Forster also netting. Jamie Gregg struck the opener for Ushaw, whose top performer was Michael Abson.
Pelton Crown finished 5-3 winners in a fantastic, end to end D&P Trophies Knockout Trophy tie at Bishop Middleham, with Liam Mitchell their five-goal star. Pelton led, but Shane Bowmer hauled Bishop level by half-time.
Two Mitchell goals, completing his hat-trick, early in the second half saw Crown go 3-1 up, but Bowmer’s second and a Jonny Smith strike levelled it up again. Crown, though, won it with two late Mitchell goals as both sides went for a winner in the rain.
Michael Hoyle shone for Crown, with Gareth Hamblin top man for Middleham.
Grange Villa WMC rocked Third Division leaders Hetton New Inn with a 5-1 win.
Daniel Hill led the way with a fine double, including a delicate chip for 4-0, supported by Mark Greener, Dean Turnbill and Alex Stebbings, heading his first goal for the club, with Joe Murray man of the match.
Villa were ahead inside five minutes and led 3-0 at half-time. Jordan Hay fired the reply.
Houghton Chilton Lodge exited 2-1 at High Handenhold Bird Inn.
Tom Illingworth hit Bird’s opener, but Adam Hinde equalised. Extra time looked certain, but, two minutes from time, a speculative effort was fumbled by keeper Martin Armstrong and Dan Watkins tapped the winner into an empty net. Shane Swift starred for Bird.
Chester Garden Farn RAR progressed in the Stepy’s Coaches President’s Trophy, witha6-1routofDurhamBede Lodge SC.
Bailey Hunter and Ryan Johnson had Garden Farm 2-0 up in 15 minutes, with Kieron Allison and Johnson making it four by the break.
Sub Stuart Thompson got one back for Bede Lodge, but Johnson, completing his hat-trick, and Hunter saw the home sides through in style.
Jordan Gibson shone for Garden Farm, with Alex Wilson best for Bede.
Durham County overwhelmed Lumley Snooker Club 6-0 to reach the quarterfinals. Dominant County enjoyed Bradley Hird’s clinical hat-trick, while Dan Rooney, Robson Brown and sub Stanley Ogunsuyi also got on the scoresheet.
Lambton Lions pipped Third Division hosts Sedgefield SC 2-1, thanks to Ben Goodwin and and own goal. Liam Murray starred for Lions.
Brandon Sports Club ran out comfortable 4-0 winners at Langley Park, but they were made to work hard for long periods. Langley held out for half an hour, until Andrew Morris opened the scoring.
Oliver Graham’s deflected long-range strike doubled the lead, then Michael Fort volleyed home from a corner and Jay Balfour’s shot from outside the area flicked off a defender’s boot and found the corner of the net to make it 4-0.
Framwellgate Moor WMC were good 4-2 winners at Washington Cross Keys.
FirstDivisionleadersHilda Park came through a testing tie at league colleagues West Rainton, winning their JD Taxis Guards Cup game 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals.
Jamie Gordon, with a cool finish for the winner, and Stephen Clifford did the damage, after Scott Redmayne put Rainton in front, following a slip by keeper Lee Henderson. John Horn shone for Rainton.
Newton Ayclffe Locomotion won through to the second round of the FA Sunday Cup, winning 2-1 at Dawdon Welfare Park.
Corey Nicholson was the visitors’ hero, firing a 15thminute opener and scoring an 80th-minute winner from Liam Cooper’s fine pass. Craig Price’s thunderous free-kick drew Dawdon level at 1-1.
Aycliffe next host Yorkshire side West Bowling in round two on November 13.
Ouston Juniors were outclassed 7-1 at Winlaton New West End in their North West Durham Cup tie, Ryan Bell heading a last-gasp consolation. Keeper Cameron Findlay was outstanding, keeping the score down.
Chilton WMC claimed their first Premier Division win, at the sixth attempt, to climb off the bottom.
Visitors Sacriston WMC caught Chilton on the break to go ahead on the hour mark, but Kieran Harnett soon levelled and, in the final five minutes, man of the match Harnett added a second to earn a deserved victory.
In Division One, Ferryhill Celtic maintained their unbeaten record and closed within two points of leaders Hilda Park following a 2-0 victory at struggling Whitehills.
Good discipline and shape to the Whitehills team made it hard for Celtic to create chances, and the hosts counter-attacked well, twice being denied by goal-line clearances.
Celtic, though, played some good stuff and Luke Thompson grabbed the vital opening goal, and a late goal from sub Liam Pearson confirmed a seventh defeat for the bottom club. Kevin Hodgson shone for Celtic.
Pelaw Grange Dogs had Daniel Igo and Connor Grieveson, finishing after Liam Farr hit the post, to thank for a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Coxhoe Red Lion, with Philip Atkinson the visitors’ star man.
Lion opened and closed the scoring, though Dogs almost hit a late winner, as David Jeffers struck the woodwork.
In Division Three, Dubmire WMC and Lumley served up a 4-4 thriller.
Star man Sam Hughes (2), Kelvin Scorer and sub Ross Hughes netted for Lumley.
Pittington drew 2-2 at Bowburn, leaving both clubs on eight points. Bowburn are second-top on goal difference.
Bowburn led through Edward Carr, who collected a through ball from Nathan Laverick, to slot home, then Adam Kirk struck a second after a defensive mix-up.
Pittington’s keeper made some fine saves to keep his side in it, and the capitalised to level with two late goals. Craig Hill starred for Bowburn.
In Division Four, Durham Rangers completed a quickfire derby double against Durham Buffaloes Head, winning the rematch 3-0.
A free-kick squirmed under keeper Gregg Remmer for the opener, with Buffaloes claiming that the hosts’ other two goals were highly contentious. Simon Booth stood out for batting Buffaloes.
Sacriston The Shoes pipped Quarrington Hill WMC 5-3 in a thriller to secure their first victory.
Bearpark regained top spot courtesy of a 6-2 romp in torrential rain at Witton Gilbert WMC. Star man Callum Adamson, with a good run and finish, and David Lumley netted for Witton, but Crooks, Gibbons (2), Wilson Bainbridge and Patterson got Bearpark back to winning ways.