Acklam cup hoodoo

On a heavy pitch, muddy down the middle, both sides tried to play and it was Bedale who created the real first chance but the Acklam keeper made a brave save at the feet of two Bedale forwards. Acklam, unbeaten in the league, failed to make the most of their chances and 20 minutes in Paul Taite broke the deadlock. In the second-half the champions elect were kept at bay and the visitors were well worth the victory, reaching their first cup final since joining the league. Acklam bounced back from this defeat to do the double over local rivals BEADS FC on Monday night with a 3-2 win. But they had to come from behind and with a man short after 30 minutes when keeper Simon Bishop was sent off when he was adjudged to have brought down a forward. The penalty, taken by Peter Matthews, was dispatched giving the visitors a 1-0 half time lead. Five minutes into the second half Acklam drew level when Mark Wheatley scored his fourth of the campaign. But a spirited BEADS side took the lead again in the 70th minute when Christopher Agiadis scored. Five minutes later the ten men of Acklam were back on level terms when Steve Burns scored. Acklam substitute Steven Boyle then notched what turned out to be the winner with his first touch when coming on in the 82nd minute.

Bedale. Also in Monday night action were Bedale Athletic and Richmond Town with the latter taking the spoils in a 2-1 win. Richmond took the lead from the penalty spot after the offending defender Glen Hadgraft sent off. Wayne Gredziak, who was brought down, was making his first appearance since their MacMillan Bowl win over Thornaby Youth Club back in early September sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot in the 16th minute. The home side pressed forward and after Saturday's cup win at Acklam were full of running. But it came to no avail three minutes before half time when a second penalty was awarded after Steve Anderson was adjudged to have brought Gredziak down. Gredziak made it 2-0 to Richmond at the half way mark. In the second period Bedale pressed forward and they finally pulled a goal back in the 78th minute following a Michael Robinson corner which was missed by the Richmond defence, but not by Adam Bramley, who scored.

For the last ten minutes it was a backs to the wall job for the visitors but they hung on to secure the double over Bedale. Fishburn Park, who hope to be moving to a new ground some time next season, suffered a 2-0 home league defeat by Nunthorpe Athletic. Phil Pinkney, who missed the midweek Stokesley defeat, scored his 16th of the season to give Nunthorpe the lead. In the second-half the home side were unable to make the break through and with five minutes remaining Glyn Swinnerton fired home his eighth of the season to seal the visitors' win.

Stokesley, after their midweek win over Nunthorpe, were beaten 3-0 at home by Hollybush United who took a 24th minute lead with a screamer from Mark Thompson, his 10th of the season. Three minutes later it was an uphill struggle for Stokesley when Johnny May added a second. Stokesley tried to get back into the game but were still two behind at the half-time break. When the home side had just started to get on top in the second-half, Hollybush broke away through Ian Kirkbright, who scored the winner mid-week, was again on target for the seventh time this season. Home side Grangetown Boys Club were looking for a revenge win over visitors Hollybush United who won 4-0 back in September. However, Hollybush gained a double with a 1-0 win. Grangetown BC dominated the match but were unable to find the goal that could help them keep their hopes of runner-up spot on course. The first- half was goalless and in the second period were struck with the sucker punch in the last minute of the match, as Hollybush broke through Ian Kirkbright who kept his cool to slot home the only goal of the match.

Stokesley Sports Club and Nunthorpe Athletic had already clashed twice this season, Nunthorpe winning both their matches, 5-1 in their August league match and 6-3 in their County Cup match in October.

But on this occasion, Stokesley turned the tables for a 3-1 win.

visitors Nunthorpe, with an under strength side, failed to take any of the chances created and in the 20th minute Stokesley were awarded a free-kick which Ben Escritt floated over the wall and past the flat-footed Danny Spruce in Nunthorpe's goal. Nunthorpe were back on level terms 15 minutes later when a mistake by stand-in keeper Tony Escritt allowed Mark Riley to flick the ball home. This stirred the home side into action and five minutes before half-time after a melee in the Nunthorpe area the ball landed in the back of the net courtsy of an away player. In the second-half the visitors pushed forward but, with chances going begging, were getting more frustrated and ten minutes from time Lee Escritt, brother of the other goalscorer, Ben, and both sons of the keeper Tony gave his team a 3-0 lead and all three points in one of the season's surprises. Thornaby YC turned the tables on rivals Thornaby with a 3-2 win after losing the first meeting 2-1 three weeks ago. The Youth Club drew first blood in the 15th minute when Mark Jordan handled the ball and Michael Arif converted the penalty. Robert Shaw was then upended in the Youth Club box resulting in Wayne Mahoney making it 1-1 from the spot. Five minutes later Mahoney got round the back of Youth Club's defence and his cross was tapped home by Darren Fixture. In the 70th minute Chris Burton slipped the ball across the area for Arif to level the score and with five minutes to go Darren Humphreys' shot was fumbled by home keeper Mark Woolnough allowing the ball to fall to Burton who rammed it home for the winner. Wolviston Reserves gained a 5-2 home win over BEADS. Andrew Westwood gave Wolviston an 18th minute lead with Andrew Dyson adding a second just before half-time. Ten minutes into the second-half Westwood made it 3-0 and clinched a hat trick with ten minutes remaining from the penalty spot. Paul Norton pulled a goal back and with two minutes to go BEADS scored again through Andrew Cole, his first of the season.

In the last minute Ian Thompson completed the scoring for Wolviston.

Classic Trophies UK Middlesbrough Sunday League

PRIORY SC booked a cup final place by beating Haverton Hill 5-3. Paul McCulloch scored two for Haverton Hill and Paul Morgan got a third, but Priory's strikeforce hit five, Andrew Bowman recorded a hat-trick David Leopard and Anthony Roberts notching. Lingdale YCC hit Popeyes A with 11, conceding one. For Lingdale, Danny Harris got three and there were two each for Mike Cane and Martin Marsh with Chris Cane, Derek Pearson and Lee Wedgewood also scoring. In the league, Popeyes B almost pulled off the result of the season when they went down to a last-minute goal against Priory SC. Popeyes went ahead when John Morrison scored before Priory levelled through Damien Gee. With the last touch of the ball Anthony Roberts headed the winner. Potters Bar beat Parklands 7-2 to keep their title challenge going. John Driscoll (pen) put Potters Bar on their way. Parklands hit back when Dave Plummer lobbed the keeper only for Lee Williams to restore Potters' advantage. They increased their lead when Terry Bell scored. In the second-half Parklands pull a goal back through Peter Di Carlo but Potters Bar went on to score four times. Brian Caddick got number four, Bell got his second, Mitchell a second and Terry Bell wrapped up the scoring with his header. Jack and Jill beat Intrepid Explorer 12-5, Jack and Jill, 7-0 up at half-time, relaxed and Intrepid came back into the game to share the second-half goals. Gary Bytheway scored eight for Jack and Jill with Dave O'Donnell (2), Jon-Paul McVeigh and Glen Oxley also scoring. D and E Locksmiths drew 3-3 with Lingdale YCC, Anthony Price (2) and Stephen Gordon one for D and E.

Hathaway and Cope Stokesley League

O one of the Leven Bridge Engineering sponsored Arthur Reed Shield semi-finals took place last weekend - and only after a late change of venue from Great Ayton to Sandy Flatts. Even at Sandy Flatts where Tanfield Bros took on Dormans the playing surface soon resembled a bog, but it was Tanfield who struck first when Paul Wardell latched on to a through ball from Andrew Davies before scoring with a 25-yarder. Ten minutes into the second-half an upset looked on the cards when Wardell rounded the keeper before slotting home number two. Dormans responded by pushing extra men forward and Lee Williams scored following a good run by Carl Brunskill. Only ten minutes remained when an action replay of Dorman's first goal produced the equaliser with Brunskill setting up Williams and after having a goal disallowed for offside, Dormans hit the winner with five minutes remaining when Darren Rothwell linked up with Williams before laying the ball to Jim McGowan for the all important goal. The only other fixture to be played was in midweek when Onyx moved into the top half of the table with a 3-0 win over Boosbeck Melbourne Tyres.