WILLINGTON ENJOY A WINTER WONDERLAND
FORMER RYHOPE STRIKER CONOR HITS DOUBLE TO INSPIRE BIG MEMORIAL CUP SUCCESS
Willington enjoyed a fine 5-2 victory over Alnwick Town to reach the quarter-finals of the Ebac Northern League’s Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup last night.
The Hall Lane men fell behind to an early Tony Brown penalty, but the home side fought back with three quick goals from Nathan Plews, Conor Winter and Michael Brown to lead 3-1 at half-time.
Ex-Ryhope CW striker Winter scored his second for 4-1 and Plews scored the fifth of the evening late on, before Kevin Westphal responded.
Willington will be away to Northallerton in the last eight, after the Yorkshire side edged out Blyth 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
A delightful chip by Chris Dickinson over goalkeeper Chris Bannon put Northallerton ahead, but, with just six minutes left, John Parker headed an equaliser.
Hebburn Town enjoyed a convincing 3-0 home win over Esh Winning.
Scott Oliver’s men raced into a 2-0 half-time lead, when Peter Jones (20 minutes) and Mechack Kanda (40) both scored. Craig Malley made the game safe with a third Hebburn goal, four minutes from time.
In the quarter-finals, Hebburn will be away to Durham City or Thornaby, whose third round tie is scheduled for Tuesday.
Bishop Auckland progressed in the Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup, beating Heaton Stannington 3-0.
They took the lead on 16 minutes, when Shaun Ryder found the net and, three minutes later, he rolled the ball into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Andrew Johnson added a third goal on 76 minutes. Billingham Synthonia’s Lewis Wood fired a hat-trick and had his side ahead three times, but Hartlepool United hit back for a 4-3 win in the Durham Challenge Cup.
Tomi Adeloye (2), Lewis Hawkins and Josh Hawkes turned it around for Pools, who had striker Devante Rodney, one of a number of first-team players involved, saw red for a bad challenge just before half-time.
The only scheduled Northern League game, Crook Town’s Division Two clash with West Allotment, was postponed because of an unplayable pitch.
Morpeth Town and Newcastle Benfield both won through to the Northumberland Senior Cup semi-finals.
Ben Harmison had North Shields ahead early on at Morpeth, but Keith Graydon (penalty), Michael Turner and Liam Henderson, whose shot through a crowded goalmouth somehow found its way into the net, saw the home side 3-1 up. Gareth Bainbridge cut the deficit on 85 minutes, but the Robins could not find a leveller.
Benfield won 6-5 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Team Northumbria.