BRAVE RAINTON JUST LOSE OUT IN CUP FINAL
ALL THE ACTION FROM THE SWINBURNE MADDISON DURHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE
Fourth Division champions East Rainton put up a brave display before losing 3-0 to First Division Ferryhill Dynamoes in the JD Taxis Guards Cup final.
The underdogs held firm until an electrifying secondhalf performance steered Dynamoes home.
An even first half ended level, with Rainton going close when James Wood’s ambitious effort flew just wide, before Lee Gaunt was denied by the save of the game by Ferryhill keeper Ryan Farley, diving at his feet.
Dynamoes upped the tempo on the the restart, finally ending the resistance when captain Steven Ward set up Andrew Agar to open the scoring.
Vinny Gash took advantage of good work from Reece Marshall to make it 2-0, then Ward hit a last-gasp third.
Pelton RAOB retained the Premier Division title thanks to a single-goal victory in their final match of the season.
Buffs did just enough to beat Sacriston Cricket Club 1-0, with man of the match Andrew Grant-Soulsby on target to delight boss Paul Weatherburn.
Buffs, who missed a firsthalf penalty, finished with 16 wins and two draws in their 20 league games.
Sherburn Village look good to finish as runnersup after a 4-2 defeat of Sedgefield St Edmund’s.
A scrambled goal from Andrew Chester had Sherburn on top, and James Ellis scored the second from the penalty spot. Saints rallied to level in the second half, but late efforts from Nicky Marley and Ellis kept up Sherburn’s impressive winning run.
Houghton Town lost out 1-0 at third-top Newton Aycliffe Locomotion, who struck on the hour mark, with Lewis Martin bursting through the defence to score.
Brandon Sports Club sealed their survival with a gritty2-1victoryatthird-bottom Chilton WMC.
Gavin Mudd’s header early and a stunning free-kick from David Fort put the visitors 2-0 up at the break.
Kieran Harnett had a second-half Chilton penalty saved by Ian Myers. Goalkeeper David Harrison’s thunderous strike, after being pushed up front, gave the hosts hope, but Brandon held firm to secure all there points.
Chester Garden Farm clinched the Third Division title on Tuesday, with a 12-2 derby demolition of Ouston Juniors.
It was 8-0 by the break as Farm ran riot, with four-goal Jake Chisholm and Jordan Gibson (3) leading the way.
Anthony Marsden (2), Robbie Mawson, Bailey Hunter and Macauley Smith were also among the goals as they moved above long-time leader Dubmire WMC, still with a game to go.
Earlier, Garden Farm routed Lumley Snooker 10-1.
Bailey Hunter hit four goals, while Tom Wray netted twice.
Matty Goodyear, Liam Walsh and first goals for Garden Farm from Jack Wilson and Glenn Morton did the damage
Ferryhill Celtic confirmed the First Division title thanks to a thrilling 4-3 win at former leaders West Rainton.
Rainton struck first, but Celtic turned it round to lead 2-1 at half-time. The hosts levelled, but Celtic sealed the deal with two more goals before Rainton bagged a late consolation.
Mark Burnett, Anthony Phillipson, Jay Smith and Marco Linhart struck for the champions, who moved six points clear of runnersup Washington Cross Keys, who have one match to play.
Ferryhill Dynamoes climbed to third place thanks to a 4-1 win at relegation-threatened Houghton Chilton Lodge.
Dynamoes took charge in the second half, with a sublime overhead kick strike from Josh Gash the highlight.
Pelaw Grange Dogs remain a point behind thirdbottom Chilton Lodge, with a game in hand.
They went down 5-3 at New Brancepeth WMC in a survival six-pointer, falling four points behind the fourth-bottom victors.
Brancepeth were five up at the break, from six shots, before Jamie Dixon, Mark Curry and star man David Stevenson rallied the visitors.
Man of the match Mark Hughes hit four to steer Brancepeth to safety, with Adam Purvis also on target.
Houghton Wild Boar AllStars goalkeeper Sean Simpson pulled off a number of excellent saves to help his team to a fine 3-1 home Second Division win against Ushaw Moor Cricket Club.
Boar took the lead after only two minutes when Shaun Corner capitalised on a defensive error to set up a tap-in for Rob Thompson.
Ushaw Moor equalised with Jon Hodgson’s goal 10 minutes later and would have taken the lead if not for an acrobatic, world-class, one-handed save onto the bar from Simpson.
Rob Thompson gave Boar a 2-1 lead on 35 minutes after some great inter play between Nick Thompson and Liam Lusk.
Lusk then slammed home a cracking 20-yard piledriver on 40 minutes to make it three.
There were no goals in the second half, thanks again to a couple of wonderful stops from star man Sean Simpson.
Steve MacDonald led the way with a four-goal haul as champions Burnside WMC made it 16 wins out of 16 by outgunning Chester Bar 18Seven 9-4.
MacDonald was supported by star man Callum Munro (3), Grant Crai and Max Stoker.
Burnside stormed two goals up early on before Chester’s Jordan Stevens finished from a tight angle after beating the keeper to a through ball.
Burnside went 3-1 up only to be pegged back again as Damien Baston’s shot from the kick-off went over the keeper from halfway.
Stevens added two more for Chester, but Burnside ran out convincing 9-4 winners.