WORK-SHY PENSHAW SEE TITLE CHANCES FADE
Penshaw Catholic Club’s title winning hopes took a huge knock when they were beaten 2-1 at home by a vastly improved Hartlepool Workies team, who in this form should easily climb away from any relegation.
They made a confident start with Kevin Devine firing just over and Andy McKenna testing the home keeper before taking the lead on 25 minutes.
Scotty Newbegin got in a great cross that was met with a Matty Hysen bullet header.
Penshaw’s keeper kept his side in it with superb saves either side of the break, first from Scott Finley and then from Mick Waller.
And he was rewarded when the home side levelled 10 minutes into the half, a header from a corner hitting a defender on its way into the net.
Workies were under the cosh for the next 10 minutes, but came through unscathed thanks to some dogged defending.
Then a flowing move saw them go back in front in the last quarter of the game. Waller fed McKenna and he laid it back to Newbegin to volley into the top corner.
In Division One, Hartlepool Raby Arms travelled to St Mary’s with a decent squad but got nothing against one of the favourites for promotion, losing 5-0.
Hartlepool Catholic Club travelled to South Shields to play their bogey side in Division Two, and surprise surprise, they lost 2-1.
Houghton Cricket made it to the semi-final of the Echo Cup with a deserved 1-0 victory over Billingham Vets.
The first half saw Houghton have a lot of possession and they took the lead after 20 minutes.
Martin Cowell took a quick free-kick and found Allan Russell who finished well.
In Division Three, Hartlepool Stag & Monkey hosted FC Burnmoor and bounced back from last week’s cup upset by running riot and winning 7-0, thanks to goals from Dave Cooling (4) and Brendan Deer (3).
Washington Sky Lounge got back to winning ways with a comfortable 8-1 away win at Whitley Bay Sea Horse.
Both teams had scratch sides out for the game which started brightly with both teams having chances.
However, Washington started to dominate the game and scored four goals before half time with Paul Kindon scoring two goals on either side of Steve Burns and Andy Lumsden.
Washington continued the rout in the second half with Anth Morrell starting and finishing the goal of the game.
Whitley Bay never gave up and pulled a goal back when centre forward Dave Burt dribbled through to score.
Washington came straight back in fine style and netted another three goals from Mark Robson, Steve Burns and Chip Kindon, who finished with a hat-trick.
Philadelphia hard to work hard to secure a 5-1 victory over Redcar Old Boys.
Score remained 0-0 until the 27th minute, when after some good work down the left, the ball was crossed and the home defence missed it and Ian Pallas drifted in on their blind side and poked the ball home.
Redcar replied within in a minute, when Phili switched off and allowed the home team to score from a corner, but Phili again took the lead minutes later.
From a corner, Redcar could only knock it out to the edge of the area, where Scott Jennings was lurking and he wrapped his foot around the ball and his shot looped over the goalkeeper into the net.
Half time came and went and Phili maintaining the pressure on Redcar and it paid off in the 55th minute when Mark Nixon latched onto a defence splitting ball, only to be up-ended by a defender.
Lee Major stepped up and converted the penalty.
Within a minute, Philadelphia went further ahead, when again Mark Nixon beat the home defence and ran 25 yards and placed the ball past the advancing goalkeeper which killed off the game.
Redcar went further behind in the 68th minute, with after another poorly defended situation, Mark Nixon was on-hand to head home a loose ball and give Philadelphia a good 5-1 away victory.