CHRIS HAT-TRICK KEEPS PENSHAW IN THE MOODY
A Chris Moody hat-trick maintained Penshaw Catholic Club’s top-three league position in the Premier Division, as they beat newly-promoted Middlesbrough 7-1, with further goals from Wes Hood, Mark Liddle, “Archie” Archbold and man-of-thematch Luke Charlesworth.
Elsewhere in the top flight, Heaton Stannington beat Hartlepool Workies 1-0.
In Division One, South Shields drew 1-1 with lowly Grindon Broadway, Carl Short with Shields’ goal and Alan Ridley with the equaliser, and Wallsend Boys Club beat Hartlepool Raby Arms 1-0.
Hartlepool Catholic Club earned a hard-fought 2-1 win at Stanley in Division Two, Robbie Wright and Davy Smith with the goals.
In Division Three, league leaders Sunderland Wearmouth CW Old Boys saw off a spirited effort by bottomof-the-table Sunderland Willow Pond to win 5-2.
The Willow Pond hinted at an upset by storming into a two-goal lead.
Andy Tones won the ball in midfield to set up David Laws, whose cross was cleared only as far as Tones, and he played in Willow livewire and man-of-thematch David Kelly for a firsttime, toe-poked volley that beat Dean Mathews in goal.
And Willow’s second came when Ralph Dodd headed in Anth Wigham’s free-kick following a foul on Michael Grieves.
That was enough to stir the Old Boys into action, however, and they pulled one back when Drinkald headed David Gilham’s cross beyond Tilbury.
They then began to control the game and, in a mad 20-minute spell, punished the Willow three times.
Neil Richardson shot through a crowd of players to equalise, Dean Langan gave the Old Boys the lead and before half-time Drinkald was on hand at close range when Tilbury had dropped the ball, to make it 4-2.
Injuries then mounted for the Willow Pond, and though their resistance remained admirable to the end, Drinkald settled it with a late header at the back post, extending Old Boys’ lead at the top of the table to seven points.
Finally, Sunderland The Philadelphia are fifth in Division Four after a 5-1 win at lowly Shildon.
Nick Leat beat Shildon’s offside trap in the 12th minute and chipped their advancing keeper to give The Philadelphia the lead and continued to enjoy the better of the chances, without converting them.
Then in the 38th minute, the home keeper spilled a free-kick allowing Darren Hutchinson to stab home from five yards, and the goalscorer doubled his account just a minute later.
That looked to have settled it by half-time, but Shildon started the second half well, and pegged one back following a defensive error within a minute of the restart.
The game then went from end to end, with The Philadelphia again having the better chances but no further goals until the final five minutes.
Then, Stan Close scored with a header from five yards, and Ian Pallas was on hand in Shildon’s penalty area to convert a great cross from Mark Nixon to complete the victory.