SIX-HITTERS PENSHAW CLOSE IN ON TOP TWO
CHARLESWORTH HAT-TRICK SINKS EASINGTON, GIVING CATHOLIC CLUB LIFT FOR MARDEN TEST
Penshaw Catholic Club closed the gap to second-top Hartlepool Workies with a 6-3 Premier Division success at Easington CIU.
It was a bizarre game full of quality goals, poor refereeing decisions, a miss of the season by one of Penshaw forwards, a missed penalty and even stray dogs stopping the match.
Man of the match Luke Charlesworth notched a hattrick for Penshaw, backed by Paul Moody (2) and Kelly, with Damian Maw starring.
Tomorrow, Penshaw host leaders Marden in a huge match at Herrington Park, attempting to go within six points of top spot.
Ryhope Foresters turned on the style to win 4-2 at Hylton CW, while Redhouse WMC lost 2-0 at Darlington Shuttle and Loom and Wearmouth CW succumbed 4-1 at leaders Marden.
Grindon Broadway missed the chance to go third in Division One after losing 2-1 at home to lowly Sherburn Village WMC. Mark Fox gave Grindon the lead with 10 minutes left, but two goals in a minute from Jason Manners and John Bates left the hosts reeling late on.
Seaham Marlborough bowed out of the First Division’s Alan Spedding Cup, losing a feisty game 4-3 away to hosts Dormans.
The hosts raced 2-0 ahead, Seaham replying through Henry before a goalkeeping error allowed the Teessiders to turn around 3-1 up.
Seaham stormed back after the break, levelling things up through an own goal and a strike from forward Turner.
Seaham looked the likelier winners, but Dormans bagged the decisive seventh goal with 15 minutes left.
Plains Farm Alldec kept up recent good form by thumping Woodhorn Lane 4-0 in Division Two. Tony Veater set them on the way with the first goal, followed by a killer Kennedy strike.
Sub Eddie Brown kept up his goalscoring run with another two goals. Star man John Dobson produced a solid performance at the back.
Mill View picked up a precious point in their fight for survival, drawing 3-3 at Milbourne Arms.
Bottom club Peterlee Helford lost 4-2 to South Shields Catholic Club, who rose two places to fourth-bottom.
The Philadelphia made second-top Washington JFC Biddick Inn fight hard for a 2-1 away win.
Biddick took the lead in the 30th minute. The ball was worked down their right and a defence-splitting cross was converted by Craig Robson at the back post.
Phili re-jigged their formation in the second half, but Biddick stormed 2-0 up within six minutes, with star man Troy Colling in the right spot to convert the pull-back cross.
Phili made substitutions and they paid off on the hour when a shot from the left side of the area hit the bottom corner of the net.
Biddick held firm to see out the win, with keeper Steve Halliday saving two point blank shots, while another effort hit the post and two more were cleared off the line.
Ivy Legends picked up a good 3-1 win at Willow Pond.
Willow centre-half Andy Norman, under pressure, brought down Michael Cleugh in the box for a stonewall penalty,whichCleugh converted for an early Ivy lead.
Willow responded with Gary Golightly feeding James Briant, whose shot was spectacularly saved by Sean Duffy.
After home keeper Andy Tilbury punched clear, Terry McInally sent a chip straight back over the defence to make it 2-0. Tilbury made a brilliant second-half save before Legends went 3-0 up when Finn had a shot that deflected off the back of a defender to Paul Holly to score.
Willow clawed one back after a deflected shot from David Kelly beat Duffy. Rolls’ Jason Pettitt was denied a fourth by a fantastic tip over from Tilbury.
Rolls-Royce ran out 4-2 winners at Durham County Strollers.
Durham took the lead with a quickly taken free-kick on 10 minutes, but two goals in five minutes turned around.
Mick Atkinson finished off a great Wayne Browell run with a left-foot shot for 1-1, then Browell centred for Simon Chapman to make no mistake at the back post.
Rolls keeper Mark Boundy made two brilliant saves to keep his side in front at halftime. Gary Anderson fired in a left-footed volley from Ian Usher’s free-kick to put Rolls 3-1 up.
On the hour mark, Chapman got his second goal, tapping in Usher’s shot from an acute angle. Strollers had the last word, with a consolation from the edge of the box.
Durham got a late consolation goal two minutes from the end with a shot from the edge of the box after Micky Leach was Rolls’ man of the match, winning everything in the air.
Pennywell Vets beat Gateshead Redheugh 2-0 to climb to ninth place in Division Four.
Pennywell Comrades lost 4-2 at second-top Forest Hall, while Boldon Colliery Tavern wentdown4-3atTrimdonVets.