The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League

A full fixture list is something of a rarity these days, but this week only two games were postponed and neither of them due to the weather.

However, a few teams looked to be a little ring-rusty from the recent postponements, none more so than a below-par Stooperdale RA who were soundly beaten at home by Jack Homers.

Stooperdale had to rely on late arrivals and favours to make up a team and never got into the game. Instead, a well-organised Jack Horners took a rare three points thanks to excellent finishing, recording a 7-1 victory.

It was a day of surprises as two of the top sides in Division One also failed to pick up points, Team Scania and Newton Aycliffe Sports Club both losing.

Team Scania suffered their first defeat of the season as they succumbed to champions East End 2-1. Newton Aycliffe Sports Club meanwhile, were beaten 5-3 at home by a currently under-achieving Springfield. Darren Tate struck a hat-trick for Springfield with Jenkinson and Preston hitting one apiece. Shotton and Scott Latta (2) replied for Aycliffe.

Coundon are the only unbeaten side in the top flight and with games in hand it's hard to see anyone stopping them from collecting the league title.

After a goalless first half, Spraire defeated a struggling Copper Beech DCS 3-1. Martin Webster hit Spraire's opener and a deflected effort from Richie Hindle soon made it 2-0. However, Copper Beech defended well and keeper Dave Hodgson was in outstanding form and unlucky to be beaten for a third time by Danny Richmond's deflected shot. Copper Beech grabbed a consolation in the last few minutes through Paul McGee.

In Division Two, runaway leaders Nestfield Club retained their 100 per cent league record, beating a beleaguered Newton Cap 10-1 away from home. Gary Mitchell top scored for Nestfield with four, while Gary Tindle hit two and Mark Kemp, Frank Rees, Danny Chapman and man of the match Rod Brown all hit one each. Dean Stanley scored Cap's consolation. Sadberge, who had been on a good run of late, were soundly beaten 8-2 by Smith and Allan.

Man of the match Alan Storey and Paul Sodermann both hit hat-tricks for the home side, and Matthew Glenton and Stephen Atkinson scored one each. Sadberge's goals came from Mark Grant and substitute Graham Stubbs.

There's no stopping Hoppers Transport who consolidated second place with a convincing victory over an ineffective Bishop Auckland Derby. Andy Thompson opened the scoring after ten minutes, quickly followed by strikes from Simon King and Peter Dawson. Just before the break Mark Foreman pulled one back to make it 3-1 at half time.

In the second-half Kev Stewart got a second for Derby but this only served to stir Hoppers into action. Dawson struck two more for a hat-trick while Darren Shooter and a Kev Naisbitt wonder strike added to Hoppers' tally. Even keeper John Fenwick had time to notch his first of the season to give a Hoppers an 8-2 victory.

There was no way back for Derby as Hoppers' defence was well marshalled by man of the match Simon Hullah.

Third-placed Green Dragon were held 3-3 by Northern Spirit Colts, now starting to show their potential. Green Dragon took a 3-0 lead through an Elliot McCabe hat-trick but instead of capitulating Colts showed determination and felt aggrieved not to snatch all three points.

Andy Salisbury's spectacular 40-yard strike from way out on the left put Colts on the scoresheet before Stuart Bell pulled another goal back. Salisbury equalised, but only after Colts were denied a penalty, and then John Edwards pounced on a mishit clearance and fired towards the empty net from 35-yards, but with the keeper stranded on the edge of the penalty area the ball stopped short of goal in the mud.

Shuttle and Loom remain well clear in Division Three after beating third placed Hurworth Albion 3-1. Jamie Smith and Paul Eagle both struck for Smith and Allan with their third strike coming from an own goal. Andrew West struck Albion's consolation.

AFC Orange are also well on track for promotion after destroying bottom placed Falchion 9-0. Jimmy Moore broke the deadlock with a cracking goal from 25-yards and that opened the floodgates as Kev Kokes, Martin Allinson and Ste Chariton (2) made it 5-0 at half-time. Moore and Allinson both grabbed another goal and Charlton completed his hat-trick and Sturman bagged only his second goal of the season.

Darlington All Stars cruised past Biglins News 10-1. Darran Kokes bagged four goals and Stephen Stacey and Aaron Denham got two each with Lambert and Franklin hitting the other two.

Lee Scott got a consolation goal for Biglins.

Royal British Legion pulled off a shock result, thrashing Brown Trout 6-0 away from home. The Trout were outclassed from the start and Neil Topping took full advantage of the space he was afforded in midfield to hit four of Legion's goals. Neil Armstrong also struck for the Legion with Michael Meredith completing the rout.

Finally, Bishop Auckland Kings Head picked up a 3-1 away win over Hopetown WMC in what proved to be a thrilling encounter. A hotly disputed penalty brought the game to life after a dreary start as Damien Callahan coolly sent Hopetown's keeper the wrong way to put the King's Head 1-0 up at the break. However, Gavin Rose equalised soon after half time, only for Callahan to hit his second late on. Kevin Hamilton secured the points in a last-minute goalmouth scramble.

Division One

P W L D F A Pts

Coundon Min. Arms 9 9 0 0 47 11 27

Newton Aycliffe 11 8 3 0 50 31 24

Team Scania 8 7 1 0 43 12 21

East End WMC 8 6 2 0 21 15 18

Busters 9 5 3 1 29 20 16

The Northern Echo 12 5 6 1 28 35 16

Spraire 9 5 4 0 37 29 15

Springfield 8 2 3 2 28 27 11

Stooperdale RA 10 3 7 9 33 46 9

Jack Horners 16 2 12 2 31 73 8

Brinkburn 7 1 5 1 15 38 4

Copper Bch. DCS 11 1 9 1 16 41 4

Division Two

Nestfield Club 12 12 0 0 87 24 36

Hoppers Transport 12 9 3 0 54 31 27

Green Dragon 11 7 2 2 70 34 23

Sadberge 11 5 4 2 47 42 17

Northern Spirit RA 12 4 4 4 30 30 16

Greyhound 11 4 3 4 29 31 16

Smith and Allan 11 4 4 3 46 41 15

BA Derby 13 4 6 2 52 54 15

Classic World 11 3 4 4 42 47 13

N Spirit Colts 13 2 8 3 30 53 9

Newton Cap 9 2 8 0 22 55 6

Hogans 12 0 11 1 17 84 1

Division Three

Shuttle and Loom 10 10 0 0 72 9 30

AFC Orange 10 7 2 1 55 21 22

Hurworth Albion 11 7 4 0 38 21 21

21st All stars 7 6 1 0 43 8 18

Hopetown WMC 11 5 4 2 34 26 17

BA Kings Head 8 4 3 1 24 22 13

Brown Trout 9 4 5 0 31 38 12

Royal British Legion 8 2 6 0 26 26 6

AXA Insurance 9 2 7 0 10 68 6

Biglins News 8 1 7 0 11 44 3

Falchion 9 0 9 0 6 67 0

Darlington Church and Friendly League

At last the league managed a full league programme, but at a cost to some clubs. With the uncertainty of whether or not games would be played some players appear to have found other things to do, the hardest hit being Aidans Skerne Park who have resigned from the league.

Although the league admit this eases the backlog of fixtures slightly they do not like seeing teams fold.

Results varied from close encounters to large margins.

Busters entertained The Royal but never really got going, the first half ended 1-0 in favour of Royal who added a second in the 47th minute, from then on they had it pretty much their own way to end 7-0 victors. Simon Hares was once again on target with four, a couple went to Paul Weir and one for Paul Cleary.

At Barnard Castle, Deepdale held on to share the points in a fast excellent game of end to end football, visitors Otter and Fish opened the scoring with a great lob from 20 yards by Darren Tate but within a minute Trenton Hewitt's effort went in via a post for the equaliser.

Simon Middlemiss restored the lead for Otter but with ten minutes remaining Dale Poppleton snatched an equaliser.

DGSOB and Tap and Spile also ended at 2-2. Tap led at the break thanks to an excellent effort from Neil Scarth. Dave Challies levelled the scores from the penalty spot, Old Boys second came from Paul Dent, Fitzroy Lynch was on hand to knock in Tap's second, a great save by Dave Thompson in the Tap's goal with two minutes remaining earned them their point.

Two goals in the first ten minutes by Craig Hancock and Wayne Reynoldson for Aycliffe Saints shook Model T who pulled one back only for Reynoldson to strike again to make it 3-1 at the interval.

The home side's second-half display was much better as they got on top to take the points 5-3, Andy Mellis (2), Richard Dodsworth, Paul O'Hagan and Garry Tweddell being Model T scorers.

Reynoldson had a great chance to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot but was denied by a great save by Roy Applegarth.

Wesley's played most of the first-half with only ten men and could not match the exuberance of RA Youth who ran rampant to record their biggest win of the season - 15-1. Darren Kokes topped the scoring with five, James Parkinson notched three, two went to Carl Moss with one each for Chris and Willie Marksby, Ryan Sandick, Richard Huckaway and Chris Hall.

Another player to go nap was Andrew Ryder in Turbinia's 10-2 demolition of Three Tuns. Lee Robinson (3) and Mark Silvester (2) being the other scorers.

SCA had two great chances to go ahead on their visit to Hydro but were denied by the keeper before the home side took the lead through a Dave Muir header.

A second for Muir and two for Nev Richardson completed a 4-0 victory.

In the remaining game Sedgefield Athletic got the better of Wheatsheaf Wanderers 7-2 with goals from Dave Brassell (3), Arron Robson (2), Mick Meredith and Jonathan Craig. Once again it was the visitors who had the early chances and failed to take them although they managed a couple in the second from David Tate and Paul McClearn