EBAC NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP

BISHOP AUCKLAND PENRITH 3 5

PENRITH continued their recent resurgence by putting Bishop Auckland’s promotion hopes in jeopardy with a fine win at Heritage Park.

Three goals in eight first-half minutes put the Bonny Blues in control. They took the lead on 20 minutes when Kieran Galbraith diverted a cross into his own net, and Martyn Coleman doubled the lead five minutes later.

Matthew Clarke rounded off a dominant spell from his side when he curled a cross-shot past Kieren Proctor. The hosts gave themselves a lifeline when substitute Andrew Johnson converted a penalty just before half-time.

The comeback seemed on when Chris Winn headed home on the hour-mark, but the visitors took themselves out of sight with two goals from hat-trick hero Coleman. Winn pulled one back for Bishops three minutes from time, but there was no way back for Ian Chandler’s side as they fell to a second consecutive defeat.

BISHOP AUCKLAND: Proctor, Hoganson, Salmon (Robinson), Gibbons, Galbraith (Johnson), Patton (Staunch), Ryder, Fryatt, Winn, Marshall, Richardson Subs: Mcmahon, Fenwick PENRITH: Dixon, Eleftheriadis, Johnson (Paul), Davidson, May, Bowman, Clarke, Moynan, Coleman, Shields (Brown), Law (Holliday) Subs: Forrester DUNSTON UTS WEST AUCKLAND TOWN 1 0

DUNSTON UTS took a big step closer to securing the Division One title with a narrow home win against West Auckland Town.

Chris Swailes’ side almost made the perfect start, Liam Brooks’ low drive cleared from the goalline by West defender Chris Hunter.

Scott Heslop and Mark Fitzpatrick both went close to finally breaking the deadlock, with the latter denied by a stunning point-blank save from Shane Bland six minutes before half-time.

Fitzpatrick finally broke West’s resistance just after the hour-mark as the former Whickham striker lashed home a long-range effort.

The hosts continued to monopolise the chances, but they could have been forced to share the points had keeper Karl Dryden not produced a fine instinctive save to keep out an effort from West defender Hunter deep into second-half injury-time. Dunston moved ten points clear at the top just eight games left.

DUNSTON UTS: Dryden, Marrs, Halliday, Stafford, Grant-soulsby, Capewell, J Elliott (Jackson), Pearson, Fitzpatrick, Heslop (Nellis), Brooks Subs: Little, Scott, Haley West Auckland Town: Bland, Cobain, Price, Colquhoun (Mitchell), Hunter, Portas (Bell), Francis, Dodds, Purewal, Burnicle, Heaney (Wearmouth) Subs: Snaith, Dowson HEBBURN TOWN SUNDERLAND RCA 3 2

HEBBURN Town moved into the top four of the Division One table with a win by the odd goal in five against Sunderland RCA.

Both sides created early chances but the hosts struck first, Graeme Armstrong rounded off some determined work from Sam Read.

Lewis Suddick doubled Hebburn’s lead six minutes into the second half with a low drive that left Scott Pocklington with no chance.

RCA got back into the game just after the hour-mark as captain Greg Swansbury was left unmarked from a corner-kick and headed in.

The visitors pressed forward as they went in search of an equaliser, but they fell further behind on 80 minutes; Michael Richardson smashed a 30-yard free-kick off the bar and in.

Substitute Tom Mcaloon gave RCA some home when he pulled a goal back with seven minutes remaining, but their hosts held on to continue their impressive recent league form.

HEBBURN TOWN: Jennison, Read, Shaw, Storey, Gilhespy, Donaghy, Suddick (Sullivan), Spence, Armstrong, Richardson, Robson (Dibbfuller) Subs: Stephenson, Malley, Chow SUNDERLAND RCA: Pocklington, Howard, Lavery, Preston, Swansbury, Hodgson (Mcaloon), Charlton (Moan), Page, Davison (Elliott), O’neill, Larkin Subs: Lilley, Mcnab NEWCASTLE BENFIELD GUISBOROUGH TOWN 2 1

A late goal from Paul Brayson ensured that Stuart Elliott continued his impressive start to life as Newcastle Benfield manager with a home win against Guisborough Town.

There were few first-half chances, although Benfield went close via Brayson and Dale Pearson, then Brayson brought a fine save out of Priorymen keeper Jordan Nixon as the pressure intensified on the visitors’ goal.

That paid off just before half-time, although there was an element of fortune about the goal as Town defender Brian Close hammered a clearance against team-mate Matthew Lovatt and watched the rebound find his own net.

Richie Slaughter came close to adding to Benfield’s lead early in the second half, and the visitors were level when Danny Earl headed a free-kick past Benfield keeper Andrew Grainger. But Brayson struck from close-range after good work from Mark Turnbull and Dale Pearson.

NEWCASTLE BENFIELD: Grainger, Evans, Holmes (Martin), Turnbull, Thompson, Novak (Mccarthy), Noble, Slaughter, Brayson, Orrell, Pearson Subs: Parker, Shepherd, Laidler GUISBOROUGH TOWN: Nixon, Mills, Mcavoy, Bythway, Lovatt, Close, Hume, Robinson, Earl, Mcneill, Marron Subs: Snook, Young, Gardner, Graham, Roberts