BAY PLASTICS NORTHERN ALLIANCE PREMIER DIVISION

Newcastle Blue Star (second) and AFC Killingworth (fourth) maintained the pressure on leaders Newcastle University with rather comfortable home wins on Saturday afternoon.

Blue Star narrowed the gap to eight points and with two games in hand on the leaders when winning 7-0 at home to Whitley Bay A, who drop a place to tenth after the loss, the hosts taking the lead after just 24 seconds via Richard Coulson.

In fact it would be Coulson who ensured Blue Star’s comfort with a further two goals to complete his hat-trick inside twenty minutes before Mitchell Ramsay added the fourth on the half hour. The score stayed that way until the closing stages when Ethan Bewley got in on the act with a late double and Shaun Kirkup also scored, sandwiched between Bewley’s brace.

Ten goals were scored at Killingworth, eight in favour of the hose side as they defeated bottom club FC United of Newcastle 8-2, Malcolm Morien grabbing four to take his tally in the league to 22, three behind Uni’s Niza Chilufya whilst Konner Lamb (2), Liam Hudson and Sam Bramley, on his debut, also netted; the hosts’ consolations came from Dillon Swann and Mark Hewitson.

The other two Premier Division matches also saw home wins as Shankhouse came from behind to defeat Gateshead Rutherford 2-1, Oliver Young and Andrew Anderson cancelling out Niki Langston’s opener, and goals from Ben Fenwick and Andrew Bell gave Wallington the points in a 2-0 defeat of Percy Main.

The only Challenge Cup quarter-final to go ahead went to extra-time and saw seven goals scored, hosts Newcastle Chemfica edging past a plucky Gateshead A side who kept themselves in the hunt throughout.

Sam Grieveson would prove to be the hosts’ hero with a hat-trick, Darryl Basham the other whilst replies for the Heed arrived via Brandon Slater, Lewis McGeoch, and Jack Warriner.

REEVES INDEPENDENT NORTHERN ALLIANCE FIRST DIVISION

Only two games went ahead in the First at the weekend, both resulting in away wins as first, Liam Anderson scored twice for Wallsend Boys Club in their 3-0 win at Gosforth Bohemians, Stephen Buzzeo the other, and Wallsend Community fell by the odd goal in five at home to Hebburn Town U23s, Kieran Storey with a brace and an own-goal for the victors, Chris Mason and Dean Blacklock in response.

The Combination Cup quarter-final matches saw Prudhoe Youth Club dismiss visitors Blyth Spartans Reserves 4-0 courtesy of two goals in each half, Arron Fletcher and Eli Timmins Scanlon in the first, Harry Mitchell and Ben Bloomer the second.

Red Row Welfare progressed winning by the odd goal in five away to Hexham, the visitors leading through a Max Anderson effort but trailed at break following goals from Marc Nixon and Hamish Forsyth, Anderson levelled shortly after the restart before Calvin Barton struck the winner just past the hour.

A goal in each gave Seaton Burn progression as they defeated Forest Hall 2-0, Josh Mottram and Daniel Beenshill the scorers and Cullercoats progressed in extra-time when away to Winlaton Vulcans, Eamon Nugent Doyle the match-winner late on after an own-goal for the hosts had cancelled out Michael Laws’ first half opener.

TEAM VALLEY CARPETS NORTHERN ALLIANCE SECOND DIVISION

Whitley Sporting Club moved level on points with visitors Cramlington United in joint second after their 5-1 win on Saturday afternoon, the gap between them, and the leaders Rothbury standing at two points; Will Thomson helped himself to two goals whilst the hosts also netted through Adam Whitehead, Ross Seaman, and Thomas Atkinson.

Fourth placed Whitburn & Cleadon also narrowed the gap at the top when they enjoyed a comfortable afternoon away to lowly Burradon, easing to an 8-1 win with Alex Chapman notching a four-goal salvo, Joe Warren grabbing three, and Lee Orr the other, the hosts shell shocked around the interval when Whitburn smashed four goals in as many minutes either side, Lee Isbister notched the consolation.

Fifth placed Spittal Rovers slipped up when away to Willington Quay Saints, all three goals arriving in the final quarter for the hosts with Jack Renwick netting twice and Dylan Adamson the other in a 3-0 win whilst Wideopen & District won 4-2 on the road at Cramlington Town, Ross Dickinson with a hat-trick for the winners, Kyle Stacks the other, replies coming from Craig Frazer and Paul Errington.

In the Amateur Cup quarter-finals Coundon & Leeholme, Stobswood Welfare, Blyth FC and Jesmond progressed to the final four, Coundon registering a comfortable 8-1 success at Seghill as Johnson Ballam helped himself to four and Liam Gill three in the win, the other arriving via Luke Chandler, the replying being an own-goal in the opening fifteen minutes.

A brace from Connor Leason helped Stobswood on their way to a 3-0 win at home to Ellington, Jake Baker the other, and there was five goals netted in the game between rivals Rothbury and Jesmond, and a few cards shown – goal-wise Kyle Smith opened for the hosts prior to the break before efforts from Andy Hall, Alex Cole and Andy Mogwo gave the visitors breathing space, John Angus making for a nervy close with the hosts second eleven minutes from time.

Blyth meanwhile collected a 5-3 win at home to Gateshead Redheugh thanks mainly to a hat-trick from Joe Moscrop, Liam Gibson and Joseph Bolam also scoring whilst Lee Laidler, Matthew Fisher and Aiden Rutledge replied.

 Thank you to Peter Mann for the report. To get in contact please visit his website.