LOVES AND SHILDON POWER ON
Bowman Anderson Accountants Spennymoor Sunday League
OLD SHILDON and Broompark Loves carried on their championship bandwagon with victories to take advantage of rivals Thorns’ fixtureless weekend.
Top-of-the-table Loves edged a 2-0 win at home to form side Binchester Social Club, Brent Mailer netting both goals.
“We were slow out the traps,” said their Secretary Keith Flowers. “The conditions didn’t help, and we were still goalless at half-time, but we changed things around at the break and came out a different side. We played a lot better in the second half and deserved the win on that alone.”
Old Shildon won 6-3 against bottom club Green Tree, Ian Maddison and Kevin Russell both netting a brace a-piece. Paul Whensley and Phillip Appleby scored for the other two.
“It was quite a close game,” admitted Shildon’s Dave Hedley. “The weather didn’t help and they kicked with it in the first half, which was very even. But with the wind in the second half we took control.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Gilham and Paul Jones scored for Salvins as they drew 2-2 with Horndale, Wayne Pratt and Darren Scott getting their goals.
Elsewhere, Postchaise beat Lakeside 3-2 with goals by Lee Taylor, Wayne King and Daniel Pattinson. Steve Hepples and Dave Welsh scored for Lakeside.
A Johnny Craig penalty earned Newton Aycliffe a 1-1 draw at Beehive after Mark Pattinson has given his side the lead.
In Division Two, leaders Masons Arms maintained their gap at the top with a 7-0 home win over sixth-placed North Briton.
Ian Crowker (2), Justin Fox, Gavin Greenwood, Anthony Warnett, Andrew Elliott and Michael Barrass scored all the goals.
Left-back Steven Kerr said: “We were surprised because we had drawn 1-1 with the Brit earlier in the season, but it was like they were a different team. We scored three by half-time and I think that pretty much killed them off.”
Eldon Arms stopped their disappointing form with a valuable 2-0 win over mid-table Middlestone Moor, Andrew Sams getting both goals.
“It was a good result for us,” said Arms’ John Sweeney. “Both our goals came in the first half and we did well to hold on to the lead in the second half and claim the three points.”
Meanwhile, Hunwick carried on their promotion trail with a 1-0 win over rivals Belvedere, James Melville grabbing the all-important goal.
Elsewhere, Victoria won 4-1 at Boot & Shoe thanks to goals by James Smith (2), Jason Greenland and Scott Jones.
Shildon Athletic won 5-3 at home to Masons United with strikes by Chris Ross (2), Keith Hurst, Geoff Fieldson and Ryan Laffey. Steve Alderson grabbed a hat-trick for United.
• The next league meeting will be held at Middlestone Moor Club on Wednesday April 7.
• The league has invited proposals from members to stage the annual end-of-season presentation night.
So far, Old Shildon WMC and Middlestone Moor Club have been put forward as potential venues for the ceremony, which is expected to be held in early June.
The league is still open to offers from other members.
Meanwhile, the league will also be discussing proposals for the event – such as entertainment, trophies etc – at the next league meeting on Wednesday April 7.
RESULTS
Division One: Old Shildon 6, Green Tree 3; Salvins 2, Horndale 2; Lakeside 2, Postchaise 3; Loves 2, Binchester SC 0; Beehive 1, Newton Aycliffe 1; Tudhoe Utd 3, Browney 5.
Division Two: Eldon Arms 2, Middlestone Moor 0; Belvedere 0, Hunwick 1; Boot & Shoe 1, Victoria 4; Masons Arms 7, North Briton 0; Shildon Ath 5, Masons Utd 3; Voltigeur 1, Grand 4.
FIXTURES
Sunday March 21
Division Two Cup SF: Masons Arms v Masons Utd.
Division One: Green Tree v Newton Aycliffe, Postchaise v Binchester SC, Loves v Lakeside, Tudhoe Utd v Beehive, Salvins v Thorns.
Division Two: Hunwick v Cumby Arms, Voltigeur v North Briton, Grand v Shildon Athletic.
Division One Top Scorers
Billy McLacklin (Tudhoe Utd) 32
Ian Maddison (Old Shildon) 29
Kenny Melvin (Beehive) 24
Thomas Louden (Old Shildon) 22
Gary Hindmarch (Loves) 21
Dave Muir (Newton Aycliffe) 21
Mark Patinson (Beehive) 18
Wayne Pratt (Horndale) 18
Marc De Lucia (Lakeside) 18
Steven Richardson (Thorns) 16
Paul Thompson (Postchaise) 16
Marc Nicholson (Salvins) 16
Division Two Top Scorers
Stephen Howe (Hunwick) 33
Mark Cowley (Grand) 18
Adrian Gough (North Briton) 17
Gary Dixon (Masons Arms) 16
David Leary (Middlestone Moor) 15
Jonathan Hall (Cumby Arms) 14
Marc Nelson (Victoria) 14
Peter Kerr (Masons Arms) 13
David Parker (Middlestone Moor) 12
Jason Greenland (Victoria) 12
Adam Cunningham (Victoria) 12
(up to & inc. 29.2.04.)
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