DRYSDALE’S A DAZZLER TO SEAL BOLDON FINAL
ADAM’S HAT-TRICK LEADS THE WAY AS FIVE-STAR CA CLINCH CUP FINAL AGAINST REDCAR
Boldon CA enjoyed a terrific 5-2 win at Richmond Town to reach the final of the Total Sport Alan Hood Charity Cup.
Adam Drysdale was the hat-trick hero as Boldon clinched a final clash with Redcar Athletic, who outgunned Wolviston in their semi-final back in December.
Paul Mossa’s Boldon men were 2-0 up and in command by the half hour mark, thanks to strikes from Adam Bell (15 minutes) and Shaun Carroll (29).
Ben Darville quickly pulled one back for the second-top hosts a minute later, but a brace from Drysdale, who scored two minutes into the second half and again in the 69th minute, steered Boldon 4-1 ahead.
Two minutes later, Kalumn Holbrook converted a penalty to give Richmond a lifeline, but Boldon ensured their final place when Drysdale completed his hat-trick with five minutes remaining.
In the league, Sunderland West End ran out 4-2 winners in an entertaining game away to Leam Rangers.
The Gateshead side needed only five minutes to make the breakthrough, with Lewis Frost heading home.
Matthew Halliday hauled the visitors level on 17 minutes, but Leam regained the lead two minutes later, courtesy of Nathan Bailey’s strike.
West End, though, kept fighting and equalised again on 30 minutes through Martin Thompson’s fine shot. Thompson started the second half in superb style, volleying home on 48 minutes to put West End in front for the first time.
Leam pushed for a way back into the game, but Jordan Crook made the game safe for the visitors when he headed home on 70 minutes.
Victory, West End’s 10th in 20 league games, took Barry Cook and Anth Nelson’s men up to ninth place.
Ashbrooke Belford House slipped down to 10th after losing 1-0 at Stokesley SC, who have drawn level on the Wearsiders on points.
The only goal just before the break when Dan Joseph fired past goalkeeper David Passmore.
Belford host Seaham Red Star Reserves, who were without a game on Saturday because they could not raise a team to go to Windscale, this weekend.
Silksworth CW’s 15th win of the season consolidated their hold on fourth place in the table, moving them four points clear of fifth-top Boldon CA, albeit having now played two games more.
Bottom club Harton & Westoe put up a fight at Silksworth, but James Cook’s 14th-minute opener and a Paul Muir strike seven minutes before the break proved to be enough for Andy Stobbart’s men.
Silksworth are away to lowly Wolviston this coming Saturday.
Coxhoe Athletic slipped to eighth place after they went down 3-0 at home to Cleator Moor Celtic.
Grant Carson opened the scoring after just three minutes, following a defensive mix-up. Callum Birdsall doubled the lead on 69 minutes, then, two minutes later, netted again following another defensive error.
South Shields Reserves clambered above Coxhoe into seventh place after they finished comfortable 2-0 winners against Wolviston.
Oliver Martin bagged both goals for Shields, making the breakthrough on 15 minutes and killing off the Teessiders with a second goal 10 minutes into the second half.
Jarrow picked up three huge points in the fight for the title, stretching their lead at the top to six points.
In the top of the table clash, Jarrow won 3-1 at third-placed Redcar Athletic.
Peter Kane had Jarrow in charge from the off, and he scored in the 11th and 23rd minutes to secure a 2-0 lead.
When Josh Allen made it 3-0 just after the half hour, the game was effectively over. Redcar kept battling, but they could only manage an 84th minute consolation from prolific marksman Andy Jennings.
Jarrow – whose tally of 62 points is better than their end-of-season total last season – are six points ahead of Richmond Town and Redcar Athletic, though the Yorkshire side have three games in hand on both of their other title rivals.
Jarrow have an intriguing home derby against on-form Boldon CA this weekend.
Annfield Plain endured a day of torment as they were hammered 9-1 away to Hartlepool, dropping them to 15th place.
Paul Donaghy, Jamie Tumilty (2), Andy Blackburn (2), Sam Cook, Alex Marshall (2) and John Stephenson all got in on the act for Pool, who remain sixth in the table.
Connor Brown hit Plain’s consolation.
Darlington 1883 Reserves routed Prudhoe Town 7-1, with Kurt Matthews, Tom Young, Nathan Stephenson, Reece Allinson, Danny Wheeler, Lewis Walton and Dylan Crooks notching.
Prudhoe had strong claims for a penalty early in the game waved away.
Former Sunderland reserve striker Jordan Laidler bagged a brace to help leaders Blyth Spartans maintain their push for the Evo-Stik League’s Premier Division title.
Laidler notched twice in the final 16 minutes as Blyth ran out 7-1 winners away to Mickleover Sports, with Sean Reid enjoying a day to savour with four goals. Dan Maguire hit the opener.
Third-top Spennymoor Town – seven points behind Blyth – were also rampant, routing Coalville 5-0, with Graeme Armstrong (2), Mark Anderson, Glen Taylor and Joe Tait (penalty) on target.