Kings Head 7 South Park Rangers 1: King's Head warmed up for their crunch encounter with Middlesbrough Post Office by easily beating South Park Rangers despite going behind on ten minutes when Peter Truscott put the visitors ahead.
Five minutes later however it was all square when Steve Smith headed home following a corner and Mike Jones wasted no time to put his side in front lobbing the Rangers keeper from the edge of the area. The King's Head continued to keep the pressure up and by half time they were well in control with goals from Martin Mathewman and Paul Round junior. Ten minutes after the interval, a sweetly struck left foot shot from Gary Round found the bottom corner of the net and substitute Brian Crawley made it 6-1 on the hour mark. Rangers kept the King's Head from adding to their goal tally till right near the end of the match when Gary Round picked up his second goal of the game with a looping header.
Middlesbrough Post Office 3 Thornaby Mandale 1
Thornaby Mandale providing a stern test, particularly when they went in front with just two minutes on the clock. Andrew Dyson was Mandale's scorer but the Posties responded well and equalised when John Symon scored from a free-kick. In the second period, Post Office turned up the pressure with their best effort seeing Symon volleying his shot against the upright. Twenty minutes into the second half, the Post Office took the lead when a one-two sequence between John Leach and Jamie Duffy ended with Leach giving the keeper no chance. Mandale did their best to get back into the game but 15 minutes from time Postie's Scott Heslop broke away before slipping the ball past the Mandale keeper.
Coulby Newham 1 Ennis Square SC 6
Four goals in the first half set Ennis Square on the road to victory with Wayne Gent opening the scoring when he fired home following a well struck free kick from Jonathan Kirk. A long throw in from Phil Bellerby fell to Craig Greenfield for Ennis Squares second goal of the game and they took control of the game when man of the match and centre back David Tait went up to head home from a corner. Greenfield scored his second of the game shortly before the break and although Coulby pulled a goal back shortly after the restart, normal service was resumed when Gent headed home another long throw from Bellerby. Ten minutes from time Bellerby, having set up two goals, completed the scoring by adding his name to the scoresheet.
Woodmans Ar. 2 St Mary's Coll. OB 2
St. Marys reacted to the previous'last week's poor performance by reshuffling the team and to their credit the players responded with a much improved performance. They were unlucky not to score on the half hour when Steve Hind's direct free kick hit the crossbar with the keeper well beaten but they did go in front soon after when another free kick from Eddie Johnson slipped through the keeper's hands. The College, with Tony McTaggart making a welcome return to midfield, had the better of the early possession in the second half but were rocked back on their heels when Woodmans were awarded a penalty which Ian Rogers duly converted. Two good saves by Thomas Straker kept St Mary's in the game as the Woodmans sought to capitalise on a good spell of possession and their efforts were rewarded when Hind beat his marker and crossed to the far post where Mark Aaron was on hand to score from close range. The College looked set to take all three points, but five minutes from time, Andy Parkes crossed for Paul Ritchie to score with a well struck half volley from 12 yards.
British Steel Sp. 5 NS Bulls Head 2
At the other end of the table, bottom club Bulls Head got off to a flier with Simon Nelson netting twice in as many minutes on the half hour mark to give Bull's the upper hand at half time. Sadly for the North Skelton side, they failed to keep up the good work after the break and a diving header from David John together with a 20-yarder from Scott McCabe saw British Steel back on level terms within ten minutes of the restart. Both sides had chances to go in front but it was another header from Jones with 15 minutes remaining that gave British Steel the edge and despite Bull's battling hard to get back into the match, two goals in quick succession eventually settled the contest. Stephen Halpin rounded the keeper to make it 4-2 and minutes later, McCabe got on the end of a cross from Lee Baxter to fire into the bottom right hand corner.
North Skelton Village 1 Stokesley 4
North Skelton started brightly and took the lead with ten minutes on the clock when Adam Dixon slotted home from close range. The visitors came back strongly but it was not until ten minutes from half time that they drew level when Michael Bulmer scored with a bullet header that gave the North Skelton keeper no chance. North Skelton tried hard to regain their lead but Stokesley's rearguard, with man of the match James Mathias and Russell Bainbridge turning in outstanding performances, held firm. Stokesley then took lead for the first time in the game when Alan Jones made no mistake and a tap in from Bulmer gave Stokesley the upper hand mid way through the half. Twenty minutes from time, Bulmer put the result beyond doubt when his shot crept in at the far post.
South Bank United 3 PJS FC 1
South Bank United started well in their game at home to PJS and should have taken an early lead when Anthony Gregory went through one on one with the PJS keeper. Unfortunately the United striker's shot went wide of the target and they had to wait till mid way through the half when Terry Strange headed the home side into the lead. Gregory's 'luck' continued when a thundering 30-yard effort came back off the post shortly before half time and when a defensive mix up saw PJS equalise on the hour mark, it was beginning to look like it was not going to be United's day. A brilliant penalty save by Steve Carter in the PJS goal again added to Gregory's woes but all that changed with 15 minutes remaining. Strange crossed for Gregory to finally break his duck and minutes later Graham Cousans found Gregory who back heeled into the net from eight yards.
Thornaby Village 2 Linx Hemlington 2
Thornaby Village bounced back from their 5-0 cup defeat at the hands of Linx just a week earlier to take a point with a much improved performance. Things might have been even better had Paul Jennison's penalty attempt on 20 minutes been converted but the Village took the lead just moments later when a second penalty award was converted by Darren Robinson. Linx came back just before half time when John Renwick beat the offside trap before slotting the ball home and it was Renwick who lobbed the Village keeper just ten minutes into the second half. Thornaby Village earned a share of the spoils when a good build up ended with Andy Dunn firing home the equaliser.
Saturday's results: British Steel Sports 5 NS Bulls Head FC 2, Coulby Newham 1 Ennis Square SC 6, Kings Head FC 7 South Park Rangers 1, Middlesbrough Post Office 3 Thornaby Mandale 1, North Skelton Village FC 1 Stokesley 4, South Bank United 3 PJS FC 1, Thornaby Village 2 Linx Hemlington 2, Woodmans Arms 2 St Mary's College OB 2.
Tomorrow's fixtures: Coulby Newham v Thornaby Village, Ennis Square SC v British Steel Sports, Linx Hemlington v North Skelton Village FC, Middlesbrough Post Office v Kings Head FC, NS Bulls Head FC v Stokesley, South Park Rangers v Thornaby Mandale, Woodmans Arms v South Bank United.
Yorkshire Old Boys Shield quarter final: St Mary's College OB v Pinefleet Wolfreton.
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