The Albany Northern League Today

Evenwood are enjoying their best season for years on the field, and went into the New year with an outside chance of promotion, having gained more points by Christmas than they did in the whole of last season.

Manager Ken Houlahan, who took over during the summer and produced the plan, and said: "It was obvious that the club needed a strategic vision, not only if it was going to continue to develop, but more fundamentally if it was merely going to continue to exist. There was no way that the club could have gone on lurching from one crisis to another for an indefinite period.

"A crucial and first stage of the plan was the strengthening of the committee of the club, and the recruitment of personnel at all levels within the organisation, with the skills necessary to develop the club. We are confident exciting times lie ahead, though there remains much work to be done and we can't afford to become complacent."

Martin Tunstall and Martin Harrison, two local businessmen have been appointed to the committee.

There has also been a surge in interest in the club from the local community thanks to the good results this season. Chairman Craig Latcham said: "Volunteers are the life blood of non-league teams at this level, and are a crucial part of the team that is being assembled here. They are almost as important as the players, you simply can't run a team without them. Anyone offering assistance at this club is regarded as a vitally important part of the overall team, and all contributions are fully appreciated."

The club is now looking for a commercial manager, while Houlahan is looking for an assistant after Alan Fothergill moved on to the committee to become secretary. Houlahan has also signed John Makepeace from Shildon, Curt Burley from Ferryhill and Steve Denham from Black and Decker

Northern League registrations secretary Steve Rock has announced that he is quitting at the end of the season.

"Rocky" was connected to South Bank before he became a league official, and league chairman Mike Amos said: "Steve has done a tremendous job for the league over the past 11 years. It's been very demanding for him, and people don't realise just how difficult and how time consuming the job is. We are looking around for a successor, and have one or two people in mind."

Dunston have been given a boost by the news that defender Steve Holmes could return in a fortnight.

Holmes picked up a knee injury in November, and at first Dunston thought that he would be out of the reckoning until March.

But the former Lincoln defender, who has also played in the league for Guisborough, has pencilled in a comeback in two weeks' time.

Several clubs are hoping that they will be able to return to action this Saturday. First Division leaders Bedlington haven't played since December 10 - but have still remained on top of the table because second placed Brandon haven't been in action since December 28. Northallerton, who are playing in the Vase tomorrow, haven't played a game since December 21.

The league's biggest headaches will be arranging games for Dunston, Guisborough, Peterlee and Morpeth who haven't played anywhere near half their games in the First Division, while nine clubs have still to reach the halfway mark in the Second Division.

And while there is no indication yet of the league season being extended into May, more blank Saturdays might change the league's mind.

Brandon defender Jamie Carfoot has told the club that he has decided to retire.

Carfoot asked to go on the transfer list last month and there was an enquiry from one club, but a move has failed to materialise, so Carfoot has decided to hang up his boots.

It's not very often that managers praise referees, but Washington Nissan manager Gavin Liddle thought that referee Gary Farley had an excellent game last Saturday.

The second division promotion game between Thornaby and Nissan was a full blooded game as everybody expected, and Liddle thought that Farley handled the game very well.

"He had a top quality performance. He was honest and up front with the players, and wasn't strict like a schoolteacher. He sent one player off from each side, and I had no arguments at all about our player being shown the red card."

Liddle thought that maybe two points slipped away "It was a good point, but we had the chances to make it three. Our forwards should be scoring more goals."

Liddle, meanwhile, has signed striker Ben Ryan from Spennymoor, but the youngster had to be content with just a place on the bench last Saturday.

Evenwood's home game with Ashington was postponed once again because of the weather on Tuesday night.

But it wasn't because of a waterlogged or snow bound pitch this time, but because of high winds.

The match referee said: "I got a bit concerned when a tin sheet flew past my head", and called the game off shortly before kick off.

But league chairman Mike Amos has denied that a new league rule will be introduced, similar to the Durham Challenge cup, in which a cup tie will be switched to the opponents venue if it is postponed three times. "I could never see us going down that road because it seems exceptionally perverse to blame clubs for the weather.

"Were there evidence that they hadn't tried to stage the match that would be another matter."

The game has now been re-arranged for Tuesday, January 28.

The league game between Shotton and Hebburn was also postponed near to kick off time because of a waterlogged pitch.

The victories by Billingham Synthonia and Dunston in the Durham Challenge cup on Tuesday night means that there is a good chance of a Northern League winner of the Cup for the first time in a decade.

Synners and Dunston both joined Northern League colleagues Horden by winning their midweek quarter final ties.

Synners came from 3-0 down after 25 minutes to stun Gateshead, and they eventually went through on penalties after the scores were level at 4-4 in normal time and at the end of sudden death extra time.

And Dunston saw off Spennymoor by 3-0 to book their place in the semi final.

The other club through to the semi will be decided by the all-Wearside League game between Wolviston and Birtley on Saturday.

The draw for the semi finals will be made on BBC Radio Cleveland's sport programme at around 5.30pm tomorrow.

Murton were the last Northern League team to win the Durham Challenge Cup a decade ago.

Jamie Clark's two goals for promotion chasing Thornaby in their 6-1 away win at second placed Easington on Tuesday put him into second place in the leading scorers in the division.

Thornaby are now into fifth place, level on points with Penrith.

Scoring feats

Four timers - First Division

John Milner Bedlington v Morpeth

August 26

Paul Chow Jarrow Roofing v Washington

August 26

Lee Ellison Shildon v Washington

October 26

Ben Chambers Washington v Chester-le-St.

November 9

Second Division

David Stephenson South Shields v Willington

November 9

Alan Hogg Ashington v Eppleton

December 28

Hat tricks - First Division

John Milner Bedlington v Marske

October 19

Craig Nelson Jarrow Roofing v Peterlee

August 20

Mark Rutter Shildon v Whitley Bay

September 14

Lee Ellison Shildon v Jarrow Roofing

October 5

Gary Barnes Shildon v Peterlee

October 12

Andy McKenna Tow Law v Blue Star

August 17

Andy McKenna Tow Law v Esh Winning

August 26

Andy McKenna Tow Law v Prudhoe

October 12

Andrew Shaw West Auckland v Billingham T.

August 20

Michael Carter West Auckland v Prudhoe

October 19

Phil McGuire West Auckland v Prudhoe

October 19

Roy Allen West Auckland v Morpeth

October 26

Steve Cuggy Chester-le-Street v N'stle Bl. St.

November 16

Carl Chillingsworth Billingham T. v Whitley Bay

November 2

John Ewart Brandon v Peterlee

December 7

Paul Chow Jarrow Roofing v Billingham Synth.

December 10

Carl Chillingsworth Billingham Town v Tow Law

January 11

Second Division

Paul Dalton Crook v Shotton

November 2

Tony Hanson Easington v Shotton

October 26

Chris Joyce Hebburn v Willington

September 28

Anthony Holmes Kennek Ryhope CA v Crook

October 19

Adrian Winder Murton v Eppleton

August 26

Adam Johnston Washington Nissan v Whickham

October 19

Adam Johnston Washington Nissan v Willington

November 23

Owen Peterson Washington Nissan v Willington

November 23

Tommy Scott Whickham v Murton

September 24

Chris Taylor Willington v Shotton

August 24

Andrew Wright Penrith v Evenwood

December 14

Micky Haley South Shields v Crook

December 14

Leading scorers - First Division

League only

Paul Chow (Jarrow Roofing) 21

Roy Allen (Bedlington/West Auckland) 19

John Milner (Bedlington) 19

Lee Ellison (Shildon) 14

Carl C'sworth (Billingham Town) 14

Andy McKenna (Tow Law) 13

Lee Alexander (Marske ) 12

Lee Ludlow (Whitley Bay/Durham) 12

Micky Dunwell (Durham City) 11

Andy Fletcher (Bedlington) 11

Chris Taylor (Whitley Bay/Willington 10

Craig Nelson (Jarrow Roofing) 10

Gary Messer (Esh Winning) 10

Ben Chambers (Washington) 10

Tony Wood (Billingham Synthonia) 10

Steve Huggins (Brandon) 9

Second Division

Adam Johnston (Washington Nissan) 23

Jamie Clark (Thornaby) 14

John Wightman (Washington Nissan) 13

Alan Hogg (Ashington) 12

James Swordy (Alnwick) 12

Paul Dalton (Crook) 11

David Taylor (Easington/Shildon) 10

Chris Joyce (Hebburn ) 10

Martin Houlahan (Evenwood) 9

Gavin Cogden (Washington Nissan) 9

Dean Helens (Murton) 9

Stuart Morris (Seaham) 9

John Harrison (Seaham) 9

Chris Reeve (Thornaby) 9

David Hague (South Shields) 9

Tomorrow's fixtures - FA Vase fourth round: Durham City v AFC Sudbury, Gorleston v Billingham Town, Maldon v Morpeth, Northallerton v Burgess Hill Town, Wootton Blue Cross v Whitley Bay

Albany Northern League Division One: Bedlington v Consett, Esh Winning v Dunston, Peterlee v Newcastle Blue Star, Prudhoe v Brandon, Shildon v Guisborough, Tow Law v Jarrow Roofing, Washington v Marske United, West Auckland v Billingham Synthonia,

Albany Northern League Division Two: Alnwick v Easington, Crook Town v Murton, Hebburn v Eppleton, Horden v South Shields, Norton v Penrith, Seaham Red Star v Thornaby, Washington Nissan v Kennek Ryhope CA, Willington v Ashington.