GOLIGHTLY HAT-TRICK HELPS POND HANG ON
ALL THE ACTION FROM THE SUNDERLAND & DISTRICT OVER-40S LEAGUE
Willow Pond were left hanging on for all three points in Division Three, despite storming into a 5-0 interval lead.
From the kick-off, visitors Woodhorn Lane were not allowed to settle into any rhythm, as tenacious tackling and classy passing put Pond in charge.
Gary Golightly fired the opener past keeper Kevin Watson after James Briant’s cross was missed by the defence.
Golightly doubled the lead, curling home a fine strike into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Then Ronald Bulmer’s whipped corner was powered home for 3-0 by topscorer Kit Tipling, though Woodhorn Lane claimed in vain that the ball had not crossed the line.
James Drysdale and Keith Sage both missed gilt-edged chances for the visitors before Willow added a fourth goal, Golightly completing his hat-trick after a tremendous through ball from David Kelly.
Willow made it 5-0 on the break before half-time, Kelly finding Briant, who sprinted from his own half, beating two defenders and slotting past the keeper for the goal of the game.
Willow sat back on the restart and paid the price as Woodhorn rallied.
Sage bundled home their first from a Mark Hyman cross, then Drysdale converted a penalty, after Stuart Hope fouled Mark Taylor.
Scott Fulton worried Willow with a classy half-volley for 5-3, giving keeper Matt Gartland no chance.
Then Taylor’s drive across the danger area was turned in for an own goal.
Both sides had late chances - Briant, Tipling and Kelly for the Wearsiders and Drysdale, with a glorious opportunity for the visitors - but Willow held on nervously for their win to stay sixth.
Houghton Cricket Club stayed in danger of the drop after a tight 3-2 defeat at home to Wingate Cons.
The cricketers took an early lead when man of the match Forster tapped in a rebound, but Wingate equalised with a quickly taken free-kick.
The second half was fairly even until Forster gave Houghton the lead again, but two breakaway goals saw Wingate home.
Micky Bradley was the visitors’ top performer.
Oddies remain in secondbottom spot after a 1-0 loss to Redcar Old Boys.
Shildon Grey Horse, beaten 2-0 by Hartlepool Stag & Monkey, are now guaranteed to finish bottom.
Ryhope Foresters moved top of the Premier Division for the first time thanks to a narrow victory against bottom club Heaton Stannington.
The 2-1 success - in their final match of the season took Foresters two points above Marden, though the North Tyneside men have six hames in hand.
Red House WMC boosted their survival fight with a 3-2 victory over Cramlington Burton House, moving above third-bottom Wallsend Community on goal difference.
Easington CIU kept up the pressure on Hylton at the top of Division One with a 2-0 derby triumph against Seaham Marlborough.
Easington dominated, but Seaham held them at bay until the hour mark when Norman Hird scored from a free-kick.
They finally put the game to bed with 10 minutes to go, when Lee Cotton bundled the ball over the line. Harry Garraghan was the hosts’ man of the match.
Hylton, with two games in hand, stayed a point behind Easington after winning a hard-fought derby 4-2 at Grindon Broadway.
Peterlee Helford leapfrogged Mill View SC into ninth place in Division Two after a close-fought 2-1 home victory.
Bottom club The Philadelphia lost 4-1 at The Milbourne Arms, while Durham Stonebridge crushed Hartlepool Catholic Club 6-2 to move into the third promotion place, ahead of Pelton Crown, who were rocked 3-0 by lowly visitors South Shields Catholic Club.
Penshaw Catholic Club turned on the style to reach the Kip Watson Villa Real Cup semi-finals.
The Premier outfit proved too strong for hosts Consett, cruising to a 5-0 win.
In the last four, they meet Ferryhill Greyhound, who won 3-2 at Richmond Town.
Marden edged past Third Division leaders Newcastle East End 1-0.
The deadlock was finally broken in the second half by a close-range Tony Healer header. Alex Burnett starred for Marden.
Hartlepool Touchdown exited 4-3 in a shoot-out to Wallsend Community, following a 1-1 draw. Wallsend visit Red House WMC in their quarter-final tomorrow.
Blakelaw SC won the Second Division Ironside Cup, with a 3-0 defeat of leaders Wallsend Boys Club at Wearmouth CW.
Boldon Colliery Tavern clinched a place in the Billy Lorraine Cup Final on May 6 by beating Hartlepool Tech 2-0 in their semi-final.
They will meet Hartlepool Vets in the final at Wearmouth CW, after they edged past Heighington Bay Horse 2-1.