BAY PLASTICS NORTHERN ALLIANCE PREMIER DIVISION

Newcastle Blue Star narrowed the gap on leaders Newcastle University to six points after they won 3-0 away to Alnwick Town, the Students progressing to the final of the Benevolent Bowl at the same time when away to Whitley Bay A via a 3-2 score.

Phil Grant opened the scoring for Blue Star after 35 minutes to which Richard Coulson doubled on 65 and Mitchell Ramsay put the seal on the points eight minutes later.

As Killingworth were progressing to the final of the Challenge Cup, 1-0 against visitors New Fordley, Wallington were joining them in third place in the league with a 4-2 win away to Gateshead Reserves thanks to goals from Thomas Truscott, Jake Walton, Justin Millican and Michael Angus – the cup result was settled by none other than Malcolm Morien, Fordley’s ‘keeper keeping the score at a minimum with an inspired performance although they also missed a first half penalty.

Ponteland crashed to a 6-3 loss away to lowly FC United as Steven Matthew and Ryan McAvoy both scored twice for the victors, Anthony Brown and Garry Winter also scoring whilst Reece Havelock-Brown, Tom Bainbridge and Louis Calvert replied.

There were also big wins for lower league sides as Newcastle Chemfica picked up a big 4-0 win at home to Shankhouse, Sam Grieveson smashing a second half hat-trick adding to Olly Ure’s opener and Seaton Delaval won 2-1 against Percy Main, Paddy Gibbons and Andrew Carr with early efforts for the hosts, Paul Collinson netting from the spot in the second half.

The remaining top flight game ended all square as Gateshead Rutherford drew 2-2 with North Shields Athletic with Paul Van-Zanderveliet opening the scoring in the first half, Tom Young levelling on the hour with Dillon Howarth turning the game around ten minutes from time however, in the last minute, Michael Begbie earned a shared of the spoils.

REEVES INDEPENDENT NORTHERN ALLIANCE FIRST DIVISION

Leaders Blyth Town tore apart a beleaguered Longbenton on Saturday afternoon as both David Brown and Paul Dunn fired home hat-tricks in a 13-0 demolition. Leading by just the three at the break, Brown with two and one for Jak Ditchburn the Longbenton ‘keeper must have prayed for the final whistle as the leaders fired ten more after the restart.

Brown completed his hat-trick from the kick-off followed by a quick-fire brace from Adam Johnson, Connor Andrews would add a double either side of the hour mark whilst Dunn also added his three , the last coming seven minutes from time after Sam Watts had also chipped in, the final goal being that of the own-goal variety in the closing minutes.

Blyth Spartans Reserves kept up the pressure at the top of the table albeit made to fight for their three points when at home to rivals Prudhoe Youth Club, Daniel Gray with the winner eighteen minutes from time adding to goals from Louis Anderson and Karl Lazzari whilst Aaron Ridley and Luke Banks replied.

A brace from Andrew Mclennan helped Bedlington to a 4-0 win away to Felling Magpies, Michael Robinson and Joe Thompson netting whilst a Matty Baldwin treble featured in Winlaton’s 5-2 home win over Seaton Burn, Kyle Wharton adding a brace for good measure with replies coming via David Hewitt and Stuart Taylor.

Three sides would score four apiece on the road to claim the three points as Cullercoats and Wallsend Boys Club added to Bedlington’s win; third place ‘Coats won 4-0 at Red Row Michael Laws with a second half brace adding to goals from Chris Connor and Dillon Blake and a Callum Lawson brace helped the Boys Club to a 4-1 win at Newcastle East End, Craig Scott netting for the hosts whilst Dan Whitfield and Rob Edwardson also netted.

The game between Hebburn U23s and Forest Hall finished level at 2-2, Joe Thompson giving the visitors an early lead with Logan Powell equalising before the break; you’d have to wait until ten minutes from time for more goal as Michael Lattimer restored the lead for Hall but as time ticked away David Stansfield equalised.

TEAM VALLEY CARPETS NORTHERN ALLIANCE SECOND DIVISION

Whitley Sporting remain leaders of the Second Division after their 3-0 home win over Wideopen at the weekend, Gregory notching a brace with another coming from Bodley to seal the points whilst Rothbury remain on the coat-tails with a comfortable 5-0 home win over Gateshead Redheugh, Brown netting twice alongside goals from Old, McPherson and McCann.

The sides beneath the top two suffered with Cramlington United crashing out of the Northumberland Minor Cup 3-1 away to New York, third place Whitburn edged past their hosts Willington Quay Saints 2-1, Andy Smith and Alex Chapman with the decisive goals in the final ten minutes after Joe Connor had opened the scoring from the spot for Quay Saints.

Spittal crashed to a 5-2 reverse away to Jesmond after taking a two goal lead through a Dmitris Paplavskis brace; Liam Thompson scored twice to level the game before the break before goals from Cameron Elliot, Joe Smith and Andrew Simpson in the second half gave the hosts the points.

The top ten clash at Blyth went in favour of the hosts as they defeated visiting Coundon 5-0, Joe Moscrop and Liam Gibson bagging braces, Ryan Priest the other, a goal in each half gave Jesmond the points at home to Stobswood, Mark McLean after just five minutes and Andy Carling on the hour whilst a John Campbell brace put Cramlington Town on their way to a 3-0 win over Burradon, Liam McKee the other goal.