Hockey: Penalty brace sees off Tyne

Jan 29 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

RELEGATION-THREATENED Whitley Bay and Tynemouth were outdone by one of the men’s Northern Hockey League Division One’s leading penalty corner experts on Saturday.

Tyne were well aware of the threat of Bolton’s Andy Bull, but stopping him was another matter. His two short corner goals were the difference as Bolton returned from the Parks with a 2-1 win.

Bull’s brace took him to 11 goals for the campaign – nine from shorts. Only Stockton’s Oli Stoddart, the league’s top-scorer, has more, 11 of his 18 goals coming that way. Jon Stoddart scored a consolation goal for the hosts, who remain in the division’s bottom two. A Joffy Wilkes brace kept Durham University II four points clear at the top. The Palatinate were a goal behind in minutes but recovered to win 4-1 at Chester with Michael Roper and Steven Hall also on target. Goals in either half from Joe Francis saw Durham’s first team beat Ben Rhydding 4-1 in a fiery Northern Premier League encounter at Maiden Castle. Despite the margin of victory, it was not until the latter stages that the students were able to pull away.

They took a 2-0 lead, through a Francis deflection and Chris Borrett’s short corner, only for the Yorkshiremen to reduce the deficit and open up the game early in the second half. As they pushed for an equaliser, the students picked them off with goals from Francis and James Warburton.

Newcastle University moved a step closer to the relegation zone after losing 3-1 at Bowdon II. A 1-1 draw for Leeds Met against Manchester moved them level on points with Newcastle, who remain out of the bottom two thanks because their goal difference is one superior. Bowdon’s third goal on Saturday was the 50th they have conceded this term.

Second-placed Stockton maintained their 100% start to 2008 with a 3-1 victory over Didsbury Northern .

RESULTS

MEN – Northern League Premier Division: Bowdon II 3, Newcastle University 1; Durham University 4, Ben Rhydding 1. Division One: Chester 1, Durham University II 4; Stockton 3, Didsbury Northern 1; Whitley Bay & Tynemouth 1, Bolton 2. Division 2 East: Gateshead 8, Northumbria St Georges 1; Leeds Adel Carnegie 7, Durham City 3.

WOMEN – Northern League Division One: Wigton 9, Berwick 1; Rotherham 1, Broom 3.