Five-star Peterlee make a Hel of a start to the season
Peterlee Helford produced a five-star performance on the opening weekend of the Sunderland & District Over 40s League.
They won 5-2 at Hartleoolbased Raby Arms to get their Division Two campaign off to a flyer.
Arms only had themselves to blame for poor defending and missing a bag full of chances.
Chrissy Francis, Les Hammill and Paul Robinson all went close before Peterlee twice caught them with balls over the top.
Raby were getting caught out time and time again by the visitors’ speedy centre forward and found thems e l ve s t ra i l i n g 4 - 0 at t h e break.
Raby really pushed forward in the second half and it was attack versus defence.
Kenny Weighill pulled a goal back with a sweet volley and James Tummilty headed in a second to make it game on.
The hosts left the back
door open once again, though, and the comeback was over, although Ian Mathews did clip the post with a neat header.
Hartlepool Catholic Club also lost at home, 3-1 to Roseberry St Hilda.
Scott Newbegin went agonisingly close before putting Catholic in front on the half hour.
Roseberry hit back within minutes and it was 1-1 at half time.
Catholic changed formation for the second period and looked like they were still getting used to it when the visitors took an early lead.
It wasn’t long before they went further in front and despite a lot of huffing and puffing from the home side there
were few chances created by either side.
Jamie Arthur and Newbegin impressed for Catholic and referee Ray Clementson put in a top performance.
Walkergate won 5-1 at Willow Pond thanks to a Phil Carlton hat trick.
Carlton scored either side of a Gary Golightly goal to give the visitors a 2-1 lead at the
break.
The second half saw Pond take the fight to Walkergate but they left themselves wide open to counterattacks.
Brett May extended the away team’s advantage with a well-taken freekick before Carlton completed his treble and subsititute Niall Lumley netted from close range to complete the scoring.