PENSHAW CLOSE IN ON THE LEAGUE’S LEADERS
Penshaw Catholic Club took advantage of Washington Sky Lounge only managing a draw and Marden not playing to move within three points of the top of the Premier Division with a 5-3 home win against a spirited Easington Colliery outfit.
Penshaw raced into a 3-0 lead with a first-half hat-trick from striker Paul Taylor.
Easington fought back with some swift attacking, and reduced the arrears with two goals before half-time, but Penshaw restored their two-goal advantage with Archie Archbold heading in and John Spence smashing in a beauty from 25 yards.
The Easington goal then led a charmed life, but they did grasp a third goal late on.
Elsewhere in the top flight, Sunderland Wearmouth Colliery and Hartlepool Workies shared a 2-2 draw.
Down to the bare XI, Workies were weakened further when a head injury forced them down to 10 men, and fell behind on 35 minutes.
They levelled through Scott Newbegin but Wearmouth went straight back in front. Straight from the kick-off, however, Kevin Devine volleyed in John Bunn’s pin-point cross.
In Division Three, Sunderland Willow Pond suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Heighington Bay Horse.
Willow went ahead when David Laws’ cross was volleyed in by Gary Golightly for his eighth goal of the season.
Gary Barker then went close but his shot was saved by Bay keeper Ian Sheppard.
The second half saw a glut of chances for both sides, Golightly guilty of some glaring misses in front of goal and Dodd and David Kelly both seeing shots well saved at close-range by Sheppard.
Wigham chested the ball down and cleared off the line for Pond when Gary Wilford beat home keeper John Davis, and captain Lee Brown followed suit to deny Andy Turner after Davis’ diving parry from a fierce low shot by Mike Toase.
Bay equalised from a hotly-disputed corner, Davis dropping the ball after contact with Turner and Toase on hand to hit the ball home.
Golightly then shot over the bar with the goal open, and Bay took the lead in fortuitous circumstances when Toase’s cross from the right wing beat the defence and looped over Davis’ head.
Last weekend was divisional cup day for Hartlepool Division One and Two teams.
Hartlepool Raby Arms were at home to Richmond Town in the Alan Spedding Cup and got back to winning ways with a comfortable 4-0 win.
The game was in the balance until Les Hammil was brought down by the last man, leaving referee Dave Lowes with no option than to send him off, and thereafter Simon Blackett, Nicky Lloyd (2) and Kenny Weighill made things safe.
Hartlepool Catholic Club were at home to Thornley Harry’s Bar in the Ironside Cup, and ran out 2-0 winners.
Davy Smith scored direct from a corner, and Brendan Hampshire from the penalty spot.
Hartlepool Stag & Monkey lost 6-2 at FC Burnmoor in the same competition, Brendan Deer with a brace.