BAY PLASTICS NORTHERN ALLIANCE PREMIER DIVISION 

Malky Morien continues to lead AFC Killingworth’s chase against league leaders Newcastle University after he bagged a second half brace at the weekend in his sides’ comfortable 4-0 dismissal of hosts FC United of Newcastle. 

Leading by two at the break, Konner Lamb and Liam Hudson both notching, Killy completed the three points with Morien’s penalty brace in the second forty-five, the win meaning the lead at the top was cut to eleven points, and Killy having games in hand on their counterparts.

Only three other games beat the changing weather conditions with a first half effort from Connor Gales giving Percy Main all the points when away to Ponteland and Shankhouse were shocked as they crashed to a 3-0 defeat away to lowly Gateshead A, goals coming from Chrinda, Salkeld and Outterside. 

The remaining top flight game was played at North Shields, visitors Newcastle Chemfica building momentum in a 3-2 win against their Athletic hosts. 

Marcelinha Junior gave the hosts the lead after just 21 minutes, it was a lead that was held until the closing stages where the reaming four goals were scored; Dan Sherliker equalised with fifteen minutes remaining before Steve McLaughlin edged Chemfica in front with eleven minutes to go. 

Only a few minutes had elapsed before Karl Morrison had bagged a second for the hosts and it looked like the spoils were to be shared before McLaughlin popped up with his second, and the winner, three minutes from time. 

REEVES INDEPENDENT NORTHERN ALLIANCE FIRST DIVISION 

As most sides were on Minor Cup duty only two games were played in the First Division, mid-table pairing Forest Hall and Seaton Burn fighting out a 1-1 draw with goals coming from Ritchie Lattimer and Pearce Haslet respectively whilst at Felling a second half double from Reece Moore gave the Magpies the points against visitors Wallsend Community. 

Several shocks were witnessed in the Northumberland Minor Cup although that was far from the case in the games involving Cullercoats, who were away to Gosforth Bohemians Reserves, and Wallsend Boys, at home to Wooler. 

A four-goal salvo from Blake and two from Watson featured in Cullercoats’ 10-2 win at Bohemians Reserves side whilst Liam Anderson also hit four as the Boys Club won 7-0 at home to Wooler; Bedlington and Blyth Town both progressed when on the road, the former winning 4-3 at Ellington, the latter defeating hosts Ponteland Reserves 2-1. 

In a local affair Prudhoe Youth Club comfortably saw off visitors Hexham 4-1 with Kieran Russell bagging a brace alongside efforts from Aaron Fletcher and Sam Moore, Will Forsyth with the solitary reply whilst Blyth Spartans Reserves were on the end of an upset at home to Haltwhistle Jubilee, their visitors winning 5-3. 

The Durham Minor Cup meanwhile saw Hebburn Town U23s slip up when at home to Seaton Carew Wearside, Ryan Jones with the only goal for the visitors early in the second period whilst Winlaton Vulcans were afforded a walkover progression against Washington Reserves. 

TEAM VALLEY CARPETS NORTHERN ALLIANCE SECOND DIVISION 

Rothbury regained leadership of the Second Division when they edged a five goal thriller away to lowly Cramlington Town and disposed leaders, Whitley Sporting Club, fell to a 3-0 reverse away to Spittal Rovers. 

The Reds fell behind to John Campbell’s opener four minutes before the break but James Loughborough quickly equalised for the sides to go in level, Campbell restored the hosts’ advantage just after the hour mark with his second of the game, Tony Brown levelling for a second time tem minutes later and Daniel Thompson grabbed what proved to be the winner nine minutes from time. 

Spittal meanwhile picked up a big win when they felled Whitley Sporting, although it didn’t look that way for most of the game. Ben Amers gave the hosts the lead just 23 minutes in and it remaining that way until the dying minutes when Craig Bell made it safe a minute from time and Kyle Jeffery made it three in stoppage time. 

Plenty of goals were scored in the other two league matches also as a Joe Moscrop treble featured in Blyth’s 6-0 win away to Stobswood, he being joined on the scoresheet by a Josh Monaghan brace and one for Reece Farrell whilst Willington Quay Saints came from behind away to Gateshead Redheugh to win 5-1. 

Aidan Rutledge gave the hosts an early lead but, after Dylan Adamson notched a brace, it was one-way traffic; Brandon Williams added the third shortly after the hour and, in the final ten, further goals were added by Sean Conway and Joe Connor.  

In the cups, Burradon needed extra-time to defeat their First Division hosts 1-0 in the Bill Gardner Cup, Isbister with the decider whilst Whitburn found themselves on the wrong end of 2-1 result at home to Shildon Railway in the Durham Minor Cup.