Miller’s raising three cheers in Town victory
BAY PLASTICS NORTHERN ALLIANCE PREMIER DIVISION
LAST season’s champions Killingworth Town earned a 3-1 home win over newly-promoted Grainger Park courtesy of a hat-trick from Jordan Miller.
A goal to the good at the interval, Town turned up the pressure after the break and doubled their lead with 20 minutes remaining before Robert Jefferson pulled a goal back in the final stages.
Town were not done, however, and Miller sealed a fine openingday victory with his, and Killy’s, third in the last minute.
Newcastle University and Ponteland United collected wins at Gateshead Rutherford and Newbiggin respectively.
On Tyneside the Students took the lead just before the interval through Andrew Wright, only for Keith Douglas to level with a screamer minutes later.
Just past the hour, Callum Horne struck what proved the winner.
Newbiggin took a very early lead through Kieran Egan and held that until after the restart, when Pont took control when regular scorers from the last campaign, Zack Bewley and Reece Havelock-Brown, notched either side of the hour.
In a devastating ten-minute spell, Gary Cook added the third to complete the turnaround.
Seaton Delaval hit the ground running with a comfortable 5-2 win at Wallington as both Matty Hayton and Mark McDonnell struck braces.
Although Jordan Nellis and Kyle Reardon were on the mark for the home side, Delaval wrapped up a emphatic success thanks to a Michael Trodd strike.
Birtley Town secured a comfortable opening-day victory at home to Cumbrian outfit Northbank Carlisle, who finished the game with 10 men following the sending-off of Leo Amato for two yellow-card offences.
Josh Morley opened the scoring for the visitors before a quick-fire double from Anthony Smith, the second from the spot, turned the game on its head with only 25 minutes played.
Further finishes from Graham McTaggart and Aaron McEwen secured a 4-1 verdict.
Shankhouse clinched a 4-2 home success over Whitley Bay A.
The sides were level at 2-2 at the break following efforts from Chris Marshall and Oliver Young (Shankhouse) and Paul Dunn and Connor Campbell (Whitley Bay).
After the restart the Hoose regained the advantage to claim all three points when Marshall added his second on the hour and Kieran Westphal put away a late fourth.
Five goals were netted at Ashington Colliers as they edged a very tight affair with visiting Percy Main 3-2.
Ryan Gair notched a second-half winner following an early brace from Joe Moscrop, the visitors’ replies courtesy of Jacob Foster and Jonathon Slowey, from the spot, early in each half.
North Shields Athletic edged their home game with last season’s First Division champions Gateshead A 2-1, their counters coming from Ross Thirlaway and Cameron Heap for Athletic, the Heed replying courtesy of an own-goal late on.