Latest football news, junior & non league football in the North East

Northern Alliance

WITH five games each left to play, both Northbank and Newcastle University look unlikely to escape relegation but they’re not waving the white flag yet. Read

Wearside League

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. Read

A WEEK before taking on Sculcoates Amateurs in the Northern Counties Senior Championship final, Ponteland United – the first Northumberland FA side to reach the competition decider – will hone their skills against today’s visitors Carlisle City. Read

Wearside League

AFTER being held to a draw by New Marske in midweek, second-top Ryhope CW need full points from today’s local derby at Ashbrooke Belford House if they are to keep the pressure up on the leaders. Read

Spartans feeling buoyant

BLYTH Spartans, increasingly confident they will stay clear of the relegation zone, go to Nuneaton this afternoon in buoyant mood following last week’s performance of the season against leaders Kettering Town, writes MALCOLM PRATT. Read

Unibond League

FORMER Gretna player Michael Tait is without a club after Newcastle Blue Star attempted to help him to move to a Scottish League side. Read

Loss will not curb attacking instincts

JOHN Ward insists his Carlisle side will go on the front foot again as they bid to get their promotion campaign back on track. Read

We’re ready for the next level, says Richardson

KIERAN Richardson insists Sunderland won’t face another battle against the drop if they stay up this season, writes MARK DOUGLAS. Read

Quakers hoping to avoid the play-offs

RICHIE Foran could play for Darlington again this season but the Quakers will be hoping he does not. Read

Ward: We can take the heat

CARLISLE manager John Ward believes his players have the cool heads to cope as the mercury rises in the League One promotion race. Read

Defence is key for the Quakers

THE attention of Darlington’s fans might be on whether the club can find two fit forwards to pair at Barnet tonight, but manager Dave Penney is more concerned about the other end of the field. Read

Wearside league

NEW Marske stay favourites for the championship but Ryhope CW are in with a chance after defeating third-top Hartlepool by an only goal on Saturday. Read

Arngrove Northern league

WITH Durham City inactive and Whitley Bay on FA Carlsberg Vase duty, attention was on the bottom of the table. Jarrow Roofing were relegated but four of the bottom eight sides won, as did Ashington, on Friday night. Read

Gillingham 0 Carlisle United 0

WITH Doncaster beating Nottingham Forest on Friday, Carlisle were under some pressure to maintain their advantage in the second automatic promotion slot. Read

Hartlepool Utd 1 Swansea City 3

WITH no television studio pundits to use slow-motion or dozens of camera angles to dissect it, Lee Probert’s decision to give Swansea a penalty at Victoria Park will go down as just another bizarre refereeing decision. Read

Northern Alliance

FIRST Division Wallington will play Premier Division leaders Walker Central in this season’s Longhorn Hardware League Cup Final on May 14. Read

Webster double seals win

Blyth Spartans2 Read

Berwick Rangers 2 Peterhead 2

BERWICK Rangers manager Michael Renwick believes Gretna cast-off Fraser McLaren is the type of player he wants next term after his side was relegated after a season in the second division. Read

Whitley Bay 3 Lowestoft Town 0

SO near, yet so far. Five words which illustrate the agony of Whitley Bay’s exit from the FA Carlsberg Vase when Wembley was in their sights, writes MALCOLM PRATT. Read