Premier Division, Welfare Cosmo. 2 Sports Bar 2: The points and the plaudits were shared by both teams who tried to play attractive football in difficult conditions.

Sports Bar had the upper hand early on and went ahead on 20 minutes, before Ashley Butterfield hit a 20-yard screamer to level the scores. Kevin Brown, making his debut for Welfare, was controlling the centre of the park like Patrick Vieira and he created several chances for his wasteful forwards, which meant the score was locked at 1-1 going into the interval. The second-half saw more chances for both teams and the visitors went ahead for a second time thanks to an own goal. The home side got their reward for pressing and pressing, when a great defence-splitting pass from Charlie Coates found Lee Stoddard who lobbed the Sports Bar keeper with great panache.

Supporters 4 West Park 2

Supporters took all three points in this battle of the dead men at the foot of the table. It was the visitors who took a surprise lead when Scott Newbiggen drilled home a Hugh Robertson-style free-kick from 20 yards. The lead was doubled when Chris Dring toe-poked the ball home from close range. The home side grabbed a crucial goal back just before the half-time whistle when Davy Smith poached a vital goal. The second period was one way traffic as Supporters battered their hapless visitors with some jiggery-pokery on the ball. Smith soon equalised and then further goals from Stuart Cooper and Chris Birkbeck settled the tie in Supporters' favour.

Division One

Hartlepool CC 6 Corner Flag 0

The home side almost ran up a cricket score against an out of sorts Corner Flag outfit. Three first half goals put the hosts in command and it could have been more were it not for the Lee Sanderson and Stevie Grazier performing heroics for the visitors. The second half saw Flag have a man red-carded when Nicky Hay followed his first half yellow for dissent with a second card for swearing after frustrations got the better of the fiery centre-half. Valiantly as Flag battled, they had no answer to Pool on the day and three further goals gave the cricketers a thumping win.

Ye Olde Durhams 8 Woodcutter 1

Woodcutter were missing four key players and it showed as Durhams went goal-tastic in a crushing 8-1 victory. Best for the away side was Jamie Hillyer and Michael Farrow in a game well-marshalled by Ray Clementson.

Odessa 2 Rugby 1

An even game saw Odessa just edge out Rugby and claim all three points. Odessa took the lead when a cross from Andrew Burton found Chris Hastings who sent the ball through to Shaun Winwood to score with a header. After the break, Rugby soon equalised after a scramble in the box lead to a scrappy goal from returning midfielder Barry Whitton. Burton won the game for the home side when his 35-yard free-kick left Gardner in the Rugby net with no chance, a goal which would have made Roberto Carlos proud. Both teams had further chances, Rugby going close through Bartleson but 2-1 was the final score in a game well-refereed by Graham Muir.

Greatham Bull & Dog 2 Trav. Rest 1

Bull and Dog ran out narrow winners against a tough Travellers outfit. The visiting side took the lead when Anth Morrill fired home a 25-yard Beckham-esque free-kick, before Daniel Bew showed the defenders a clean pair of heels to level for the hosts. The second half saw a raft of chances missed by both teams and it was left to a spot-kick, dispatched by Dick Horton, to give the honours to the home side.

Tunstall Old Boys 2

Corporation Welfare 4

Six goals, but four to the away side meant that all three points went to Corporation. Robbie Durham opened the scoring for the visitors, but it wasn't long before Tunstall levelled. In the second half, Paul Barnfather scored a rare goal, but again, the plucky home side equalised. Corporation eventually took the game by the scruff of the neck and a further two goals from leading scorer Mark Barnfather made the game safe, his first goal being a 30-yard Socrates-style shot.

Division Two

Moorcock 1 King Johns Tavern 7

Hot-shot Ian Varley bagged his third consecutive treble as King Johns ran riot against Moorcock. Michael Williams and Gareth Wallace gave the visitors an early two goal lead, before Varley grabbed his first two, to make the half-time score 4-0. John Butterfield added a consolation penalty for the Peterlee outfit, before Varley, the Lee Trundle of the lower division, chalked his hat-trick. Two further goals from John Gate and goalkeeper Andrew 'Butchy' Fletcher put the result beyond doubt.

St Josephs 1 Charter Bar 0

A solitary strike from Paul Adams gave all three points to St Joesphs. A tepid first half ended goalless, with both sides missing several golden chances to go in front, before Adams showed his class with a neat chip over Paul Duneclift. Best for Charter Bar were Paul Stabler, Peter Rogers and Tony Lennard, while Mickey Wanley and Adams were best for the hosts.

TMD 7 Engineers 4

A goal-feast saw 11 goals scored and TMD take the points in an entertaining game. Micky Lloyd chalked a first half hat-trick for the hosts to put them in complete control. Second half strikes from Craig Knight, Chris Kelly and Chris Wood made the game safe, despite four goals from the visitors. Peter Sowerby (2), Chris McMahon and Robert Gibbins were the scorers for Engineers, whose best players on the day were Richard Docherty and Darren Rowbotham. Best for TMD were Lloyd and Paul Bradley.

Owton Lodge 1 Fens 4

Fens continued their recent fine run of form, with a thumping win against Owton Lodge. The visitors took the lead when Adam 'Chinny' Waller fired home, before Jimmy Teasdale doubled the lead with a scrambled effort. Lodge then missed a penalty, but got on the score sheet thanks to an own goal, to put things back in the melting pot. However, it wasn't to be as further strikes from Martin 'Buster' Edmunson and the arrow-like Micky Archer made the game safe for Fens. Best for Fens were Robert Auton, Phil Gorman and Steve Young, while for the home side, Brian Myers shone.

Durham County Cup Semi-Finals

Lion Hillcarter 2 Billingham Cons 1

Paul Pitman was the hero of this hard-fought encounter as Lion roared into the final of the county cup. The home side took the lead midway through the first half, with a well-taken strike from Andy Allen. After the interval, both sides had chances to score and Pitman missed a glorious chance to double the lead when he blazed his spot-kick over the bar. Lion were made to pay when the visitors leveled from a deflected free kick and the game was up for grabs. Ex-Whitby star Pitman was to prove the hero, however, as he made up for his penalty miss with a superb solo effort to score the winning goal. Paul Tierney denied the away side a late equaliser as the Hartlepool side marched into the final, against Sunderland outfit, Humbledon Plains Farm.

Rovers Quoit 2 Humb. Plains Farm 3

Rovers just missed out on the chance to make it an all-Hartlepool final as they valiantly went down by the odd goal in five to their Sunderland visitors. Spurred on by a large crowd, Rovers took the game to Plains and with a little rub of the green, could have found themselves a goal in front. However, it was the away side who struck first, with a neat finish on the quarter hour mark. Despite good pressure from the home team, Plains went into the break a goal up. In the second half, Rovers got their just deserts when a rocket shot from ex-Hartlepool left back, Anthony Skedd, almost broke the goal from 20-yards out to equalise. Plains hit back straight away with a double strike to leave Rovers reeling at 3-1. Michael Ford threw Rovers a lifeline when he grabbed a second goal for the hosts, but despite several near misses, including an Andrew McKenna bullet, it was the Sunderland side who clung on for a narrow victory and a date with Lion Hillcarter in the final.

John Dowson Cup

St Francis 1 Burn Valley 4

Cup holders Burn Valley were pushed all the way by Second Division St Francis, before running out comfortable winners. In an even first half, a cross from Ian Davis was turned into his own net by a St Francis defender, to give the hosts an early advantage.

It wasn't long before parity was restored, however, when Craig Brown powerfully headed home a Marc Clouston corner. Back came Burn Valley and it was Neil Hay who put their noses back in front when he struck a firm shot from outside the area. After the interval, the home side's superior technical ability started to shine through, but they had to wait until ten minutes before time for their third goal, through substitute David Watson. Andrew Watts put the icing on the cake with the final goal of an entertaining game, well refereed by Graham Thornton.

Best for Burn Valley were Davis and Kevin Boffy, while keeper Liam Gough continued his good form for St Francis.

Working Men's Club 3

Blackhall Breathless 6

Gary Kelly was the star of the show, as his superb treble sunk Workies. Blackhall started the game badly and soon found themselves two goals down after just 20 minutes, thanks to strikes from Andrew Jobling and Allen Richardson. Hall pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, before the hosts went further ahead through Paul Sharp.

It could have been even worse for Hall had Richardson not missed a spot-kick on the stoke of half-time. An inspired hairdryer-style half-time team talk from Hall manager John 'Potter' Bell transformed his team into a brilliant second half showing as five goals came without reply. Kelly chalked his impressive hat-trick, star striker Martin Jones weighed in with two more and there was another goal from the ever-impressive Martin Brown, who hasn't stopped scoring since his move from Blackhall Cricket Club.