STELLA WIN IN COUNTY CUP
DONS LEAD THE WAY FOR SUNDERLAND SUNDAY LEAGUE SIDES
Stella Dons are into the last 32 of the Durham County Sunday Cup after a 2-0 win at Hartlepool Throston Wanderers.
A Nathan O’Neill brace was enough to see the Sunderland Sunday League side progress, and they were joined in the next round by a number of fellow league clubs.
A stunning James Fairley hat-trick - including a brilliant 30-yard free-kick saw Southwick breeze past Gateshead Belle Vue with a 5-2 away win, Anth Ross with the other goals.
Hylton Castle TC Plastics won 4-0 at home to Billingham The Lion, Callum Hope rising from the subs bench to claim a hat-trick and the man-of-the-match award.
Shaun Petch added a fourth.
RCA Grangetown Florists won 4-3 at Langley Park, Andy Place with a hat-trick and Mark Robinson also on target.
Silksworth CW were held 4-4 by West Auckland before advancing 3-1 on penalties
Paul Brooke claimed a hat-trick, Ryan March with the fourth.
Alas, it was not all good news for the league.
In their debut season in the competition, the Carpets Centre Elite saw Chris Robins strike but that was not enough to avoid a 2-1 defeat at Norton George and Dragon.
Sunderland Railway suffered an embarrassing 8-0 defeat to Dawdon on home soil.
Missed chances proved costly for The Lansdowne as they were beaten 2-1 by Jarrow Greyhound, despite Luke Richardson’s goal.
A single Billy Galey header was too little for The Stackyard to avoid a 4-1 defeat to Ferryhill Celtic.
And in a 10-goal thriller, not even a Gav Teasdale hattrick could spare The Stella from a 4-6 loss to Consett Top Club.
Kris Lawton also scored for the Stella.
In the Premier Division, a mid-table clash saw Ryhope Forresters emerge victorious in a 4-3 win at New Town.
Keiron Davies scored twice for Ryhope and Lee Bishop netted a double of his own. Gav Nesbitt and Ben Summers won it for Ryhope, Dylan Cairns with Town’s other goal.
In the First Division, Pennywell Comrades cemented their hold on top spot with a 6-1 win over Thorney Close Inn.
Davey Snowdon scored four goals, and Howell and Scullion one apiece, while Antliff hit Thorney’s consolation.
Four points behind, Herrington CW hung onto second place with a 4-3 win at second-bottom Wearmouth CW Juniors.
Weetmen and Sloan gave Herrington the points.
But they remain on level points with Washington Sky Lounge, Washington Juniors Teal Farm and Port of Call.
Sky Lounge won 3-1 at home to Ashbrooke Hendon, despite Newby opening the scoring.
Richie Logan netted twice and McCartney added another.
And Teal Farm won 5-3 against Port of Call as fourth met fifth.
Putting last week’s cup defeat behind them, Farm recorded another league win against Port, young Jack Ramsden scoring two excellent goals.
The away side rallied, and levelled through Wharton and Dickman.
But the excellent Lee Cuthbertson scored a hattrick to restore Farm’s lead, though Matty Harrison did reduce the deficit with a late goal of his own.