Wearside League

Apr 7 2008 by Malcolm Pratt, The Journal

ALTHOUGH there are several games left the chasing clubs have a mountain to climb if they are to overtake New Marske in the race for the championship.

They have lost once and maintained their form and the leadership with victory at Teesside Athletic thanks to second-half goals by Martin Say and Michael Mackin.

Ryhope CW are second but lost ground in a draw at Ashbrooke Belford House who went ahead on the hour courtesy of Martin Deacon. With five minutes left Ryhope claimed a point with Richard Jordan’s equaliser.

Harton and Westoe could not prevent Whitehaven from maintaining their challenge in Cumbria. Philip Nicholson cancelled out Michael Farrer’s early goal for Whitehaven who went on to win as Stephen Hewitt and Malcolm Halliday also struck.

Boldon CA inflicted a damaging defeat on Hartlepool. Michael Meek scored two with Gavin Teesdale adding to the woes of Pools whose reply was by Shaun Wood.

Despite defeating Windscale convincingly, East Durham United remain bottom. Paul Coxon, Dean McKeown and Lee Smith earned them only their fifth win of the season. Silksworth Community were also victorious and stay a point ahead of their rivals. Craig Johnson and Martin Metcalfe had them two goals up at Cleadon SC who were thrown a lifeline with Ross Taylor’s own goal.

Robert Hall restored Silksworth’s two-goal cushion and although Nicholas Quinn also netted for Cleadon, the Wearsiders held on for three points.

Andy Wilkinson rifled a superb hat-trick in Jarrow’s victory over Guisborough Black Swan at Perth Green while Stephen Kirkbride, with two, and Adam Tinnion earned Annfield Plain the points at home to Easington Colliery. Paul Griffith had equalised for the visitors.

Third-from-bottom Coxhoe Athletic lost at Wolviston whose scorers were Glen Smith, Stephen Kilpatrick and Glen Walker while despite scoring first through Brett Cummings, Willington lost at Cleator Moor Celtic for whom Zak Rudd (pen) and Lee Dunn (2) scored.