CATHOLICS GETTING INTO THEIR STRIDE
Penshaw Catholic Club maintained their 100% winning record in the Premier League with a hard-earned 2-1 win over Ferryhill Greyhound side.
After an even 15 minutes, Penshaw scored two quality goals. The first a solo run and finish by John Spence, followed by a great team goal and clever finish by Paul Taylor.
Penshaw lost Simon Holland and captain Noka Thurlbeck to injury and illness, and soon after, Ferryhill pulled one back when Glynn Stockport crashed the ball home from close range.
However, Holland and Thurlbeck’s replacements, Laidler and Taylor, did a good job, and despite Ferryhill pressure, the reliable Penshaw defence held strong.
They could have increased their lead had Cummings and Spence converted their chances.
Washington Sky Lounge progressed to the next round of the Kenny Ball Cup with a comfortable 4-0 home win against Consett.
Washington scored after 10 minutes when Anth Hall volleyed home from outside the box.
Andy Lumsden then finished a lovely move to make it 2-0, and topped it with a great chip shot for the third goal.
Consett never stopped working and fought hard in the second half, but the game was wrapped up when Paul Kindon ran through from the halfway line and squared for Mark Robson, who tapped the ball home for a 4-0 win.
Washington’s Andy Lumsden and Consett’s Lee Armitage picked up the manof-the-match honours.
Willow Pond suffered a 2-1 away defeat at the hands of Wingate Cons in the Kip Watson Cup.
In an end-to end-game, Wingate took the lead after they cleared a Pond corner and countered with speed.
Neil Besford latched on to the ball and his shot beat John Davis in the Pond goal.
Pond responded with a Gary Golightly shot in the box after a Gary Barker crossed the ball in from the right, following good work from Ronald Bulmer.
Willow were on top and a David Laws shot went inches wide and a Ralph Dodd header from the corner was tipped over by Wingate keeper Allan Conroy.
Willow equalised when a mix up between Wingate keeper and a defender let in Golightly, who then tapped home into an empty net.
A sublime pass from Pond midfielder Michael Grieves sets up David Kelly, whose rasping shot cannoned off the bar.
However, Wingate took the lead again when Unsai Kirmizi’s pace had him capitalise on a Pond defensive mistake for him to chip the stranded Davis.
Laws saw his header go wide for Pond, but the home side should of scored again through Kirmizi, who hit the post and then fired over the bar.
Division Four side Pennywell Vets continued their positive start to the season with a hard-earned 5-4 victory over Division Three side Sedgefield in the Kip Watson Cup.
In a tough encounter that could have went either way, it was the Vets who held their nerve to claim the victory in the last minute of extra-time.
Vets’ goals came from Barry Cougle, Stuart Davison (2) and Steven Peverley, who coolly converted from the spot, twice.
Paul Neesham put in a man-of-the-match performance at the back for Pennywell.