The Northern Echo Sunday Invitation League - Division Three

Newton Cap hit back on 35 minutes when Matthew Gowland beat the offside trap and slotted the ball home. The half ended however, with Royal Oak dominating, a powerful run from Steve Donnelly saw the visitors defence forced to bring him down. John Woods stepped up for the spot kick and made no mistake. The Cap came out fired up for the second half and equalised when a quick corner was headed home by Keith Hirst and the visitors took the lead when Matthew Gowland finished expertly. Despite pressure from the Oak to force an equaliser, lead by man of the match Neil Pinkney, the visitors held on for the points with a 3-2 victory.

It was a classic game of two differing halves between The Falchion and the visiting Sherwoods. It was the away team who struck first, Gareth Hodgson finding the net. The home side could not find away through the visitors, a combination of poor finishing and Sherwoods' keeper Joe Cox in excellent form. The second half was a different story, the Falchion really took the game to the visitors and Rich Young levelled, powering home a bullet header from a Dom Lund corner. Andy Hawkins added a second for the home side, pouncing on a rebound. Sherwoods would not give up and Hodgson, grabbed his second, to level scores, the visitors then went back into the lead when Hodgson completed his hat-trick. Man of the match Mike Layton then rallied the home side again, equalising to level the scores at 3-3. The advantage then swung back to the Falchion, Mike Watt powering home a spot kick after a foul on Hawkins, Mickey Bennett making his first start after a long lay off, increased the lead cooly slotting home. Laxton finally headed home at his third attempt, Bennett then doubled his tally for the day, leaving the final score 7-3 to the home side.

Goodfellas and MN All Stars played out an entertaining game which saw both sides have chances to clinch the points but it was the All Stars who ended as 2-1 winners.

All Stars broke the deadlock early in the first half but Goodfellas soon equalised when good play by Mark Addy put Mark Corry through on goal and the Goodfellas striker made no mistake from 15 yards.

The second half saw MN All Stars press for a winner and their high-energy play was rewarded on 65 minutes when a superb lob from the edge of the box nestled in the bottom corner.

Goodfellas pushed forward in the last ten minutes and were unlucky not to grab a late goal. On balance MN All Stars showed higher fitness levels but Goodfellas showed a spirit which they will need if they are to stop their season fading away.

Also pushing for the top spot, St Augustines grabbed three points with a 2-1 win over Axa Insurance.

Cricketers took on AFC Aruba and it was the visitors who left with the points after goals from Charlie Gardner and Dave Langburn proved too much for the home side who had a Christopher Piper goal to show for their efforts, 2-1 to AFC Aruba.

Thursday May 8

AFC Aruba played hosts to Goodfellas and it was Aruba who ground out a 1-0 victory which moved the further away from the foot of the table. It was a hard fought first half, without a real threat on the home side goal it was left to Arubas' centre back Nicholas Barrett to provide the only scare of the half when he directed the ball towards his own goal and only a fine save by the home side keeper kept the scores level. At the other end Robbie Corrance and Jamie Gardner created chances but the best opportunity of the half fell to Stephen Murphy, but he failed to take the chance to break the deadlock. Gardner again came close but some last ditch defending from the visitors blocked his goalbound shot. Corrance then took on the Goodfellas defence on his own only to see his effort rebound off the post. It was the second half before man of the match Nick Chew stamped his authority on the game as he began to control the midfield. Goodfellas, on the counter attack, almost took the lead when home defender Peter Ironsides' clearance hit the referee, leaving the way open for the visitors strikeforce only for excellent defending by Mat Holt saved the day for the home side. The introduction of three second half substitutes for Aruba began to make an impression and it was one of them - Dave Langburn - who settled the game, with a fine individual goal. He beat four men and with a defelcted shot gave the keeper no chance. As the game was drawing to a close more excellent work from Merrit in the home side's goal kept his cleansheet in tact and secured three valuable points for the home side.

The ever-improving Newton Cap had an empahtic victory over strugglers Sherwoods. Cap opened the scoring when Matthew Gowland, finished well from a Latchman through-ball. Bobo Hurst scored the second with a fine individual effort which saw him beat three defenders before firing home. The visitors fought back and scored a well taken goal through Gareth Hodgson to give the home side a slight advantage going into the break. The second 45 minutes saw the home side dominate as Gowland completed his hat-trick after some excellent work by Hirst who then scored his second of the game. The home side seemed in total control, although the visitors battled well and looked dangerous on the break, putting the Cap defence under pressure, but the Cappers came back and the goal of the game was scored when Latchman fired an unstoppable header from McGurk's cross. Andrew Marley came off the bench to find the net and then Mark Foreman fired home after some great work in the penalty box the final score saw 9-1 home victory.

In the other game of the evening Haughton and St. Augustines battled out a 1-1 draw. Between them these two sides have the best defensive records in the division, and so it proved to be as scoring chances were at an absolute premium. It was however, St. Augustines who took the lead following a free kick which the home defence failed to clear and man of the match Kevin Ashworth ghosted in at the far post to head home. It stayed at advantage to the visitors until 20 minutes from time when Paul Cooper was pushed up front to try to conjure an equaliser which he managed from a shot from fully 25 yards as it looped in to the top corner to give Haughton a deserved equaliser. Indeed, the home side could have won the game ten minutes later when Karl Lockwood looked certain to score but his header looped over from six yards. The closing minutes were a tense affair with both defences giving nothing away to leave the final score 1-1.