Junior Football

Ebac Youth League

Bishop Auckland manager Jackie Foster knows he has a good crop of youngsters this season. His latest charges are top with maximum points from five games and a goals tally of 27-5.

The Bishops also top their qualifying group in the league cup with three wins out of four, their only blemish an early season 6-3 defeat by local rivals West Auckland. Bishops have lost two other cup matches, both to league rivals Chilton YC.

Chilton knocked Bishops out of the Durham County Junior Cup 4-1 after extra time and they beat Bishops 2-1 with a late goal in the Lady Eden Hospital Cup. The two sides have met once in the league, Bishops winning 3-1 at Chilton back in September.

"They are a good set of lads," said Foster, a long time Northern League player with Bishop Auckland and Crook Town among his clubs. He has been running the Bishop Auckland junior teams since 1992.

Several of the Auckland juniors have been included in the senior squad for Bishops from time to time including central midfielder Dean Maddison who is just 16-years and is one of the youngest players ever to turn out for the Bishops in senior soccer. Central defender Michael Barker comes from a well-known footballing family. His uncle Michael played for Bishop Auckland in the 1960s and was capped six times for the England amateur international side. Surprisingly none of the present Bishop Auckland players have been included for the Durham County Under-18 representative side this season.

P W D L F A Pts

Bishop Auckland 4 4 0 0 21 4 12

Crook Town 5 3 1 1 11 5 10

West Auckland 4 2 1 1 9 7 7

Ferryhill Ath 7 2 1 4 7 10 7

Barnard Castle 7 2 1 4 8 22 7

Chilton YV 4 2 0 2 10 7 6

Esh Winning 5 2 0 3 6 14 5

Willington 4 0 2 2 4 7 2

New County North Durham Youth League

TWO sides from the league will meet in the final of the Durham County Under-16 Cup.

Consett needed extra time before defeating Cleveland Hall while Felling won more comfortably when they hosted Stanley Sandhole.

The scores were level at 2-2 in the clash between Consett and Cleveland Hall. Scott Garthwaite and Wayne Bone netted for the Hall with Michael Fraser and Andrew McBride repyling for the Steelmen before John Lister grabbed the crucial winning goal in extra time.

A hat-trick by Daniel Graham was the feature of Felling's 3-1 victory over Sandhole.

In the Edward Wanless Cup there were victories for Hebburn Clegwell and Stocksfield. James Bellingham, Glen McEwan and Craig Gardner all found the net for Hebburn who defeated Redheugh 3-1. Keith Boyle scored the Reds consolation goal.

Stocksfield romped to a 6-1 home victory over Sheriff Hill when George Barer, with a brace, Paul Myers, Graham Watson, Nick McKenzie and John Graham found the target.

One game was played in the Under-16 division and Usworth hit Grange Villa with a 9-0 defeat. Stephen Corrigan (3), Adam Cairns (2), Scott Wallace, John Wainright and Alexis James (2), all struck.

At Under-17 level, one fixture was completed, Felling winning 8-1 at Derwent Valley whose only goal was credited to Neil Rippon. Andrew Sutcliffe starred in the Felling pack as he rifled four goals and others on the mark were Lee Nicholson, Peter Robinson, Neil Burke and Anthony Brewis.

A and C Kelly Gateshead Youth League

LEAM Rangers B recorded their ninth win in 13 outings, defeating Winlaton in the Under-11 division. Andrew McAloon and Michael Curry both scored twice and in the other game which was played newcomers Quarrington Hill, who are still without a point, crashed to a 9-0 defeat against Sandhole whose goals came, in the main, from Daniel Bruce (4), Chris Lamb (2) and Lee Potts (2).

In the Under-12 division, Whickham Glebe enjoyed an 8-0 success when they hosted Chopwell. David Waugh (3), Michael Banks (3) and Jamie Coleman (2) were the marksmen and in the only other game played Leam Rangers defeated Witton Gilbert 7-0 when three of the goals were scored by Daryl Iveson.

Two fixtures were played in the Under-13 section. Shaun Best scored twice in Blaydon's 5-2 win over Felling and so too did Shaun Henderson in Consett's 5-1 success at Cleveland Hall.

At Under-14 level and the biggest win was gained by Sandhole who hammered Felling 10-4. Scott Watson (4) Anthony High (2) and Ryan Herron scored the bulk of the goals.

Consett recorded a 5-0 victory at Wylam and four goals from Liam Cook enabled Leam Rangers to defeat Winlaton 5-2 while Cleveland Hall just beat Blaydon 2-1 with strikes from Lee Johnson and Anthony Falcon. Irvine Ruddick was Blaydon's marksman.

Cleveland Hall put nine past Spen Rovers who replied just once in the Under-15 division. Chris Laws (4), John Morton (2) and Dean Bramwell (2) were the principle scorers.

Leam Rangers hit Haydon Bridge 8-0 with Chris Batey scoring a hat-trick and both Anthony Thompson and Paul Beat hitting the net on two occasions. Graham McTaggart and Andrew Curry both scored three times in Redheughs's 8-1 defeat of Wardley and the other two games between Prudhoe and Swalwell and Sandhole and South Shields Abfad both ended at 2-2.

Crook Town Horizon Glass

After performing very well in the first half of their home league game against Redhouse Downhill, Crook Town Horizon Glass faded badly in the second half of their first match since December 3 and went down 9-1.

Both sides showed promising early attacks but it was the Crook team who went ahead after 17 minutes when Andrew Lockhart scored direct from a free kick with a 20 yard curling shot into the corner of the net. The visitors equalised five minutes later when Gavin Ferguson latched on to a long through ball from Adam Hopps and shot past the advancing Stuart Walker.

The second half was only four minutes old when Stephen Lewis headed Redhouse ahead from a corner and ten minutes later the lead was increased when Thomas bell converted a fine pass from Christopher Richardson. The Crook heads dropped and the visitors stormed through to add goals from Sean Brook, Adam Hopps, Andrew Swinhoe and a hat-trick from Thomas Bell.

The Redhouse man of the match award went to Stephen Lewis, while the Crook award was shared between Stuart Walker and Andrew Lockhart. On Sunday Crook Town Horizon Glass are away to Whitburn Saints. Any player interested in joining the team is welcome to attend training sessions at 6.30pm every Tuesday night in Glenholme Boys Club.

South-East Durham Juniors

THE Trimdon-based South East Durham club is already looking for new recruits for next season. The club's present Under-10 side will be continuing as an Under-11 side and two new tams aged Under-9 and Under-10 will be formed.

The teams will play in the 'small-sided (seven-a-side) leagues attached to the Teesside Junior Alliance. For more details parents of boys aged seven to ten can contact the club secretary Rob Jones on (0191) 5870949.

Darlington Spraire Lads

Again the weather this weekend, decimated the fixture list for Spraire Lads with only three 11-a-side games being played.

Two of them were at Under-12 level, the B team playing in the quarter finals of the Richmondshire League Cup had an epic battle with Catterick AWS. At the end of normal time neither team could break the deadlock so with the score at 0-0 the game went to extra time. Thanks to a goal by Boyce the game seemed to be heading for a 1-1 draw and the dreaded penalties however, Borrowdale grasped a last gasp winner to send Spraire in to the semi-final.

The Under-12 A team continued their recent good form. Playing Marton, thanks to an excellent team performance and a goal by Chris Pitt, Spraire seemed to be heading for a well-earned three points. However, Marton grabbed an equaliser in the last minute to leave the score 1-1.

At Under-13 level only the B team managed a game playing undefeated league leaders Whinney Banks in a close fought contest Spraire lost 2-1. In another excellent team performance the goal came from Lewis Webb.

In mini soccer the Under-10s played Hartburn drawing 1-1 thanks to a goal from Verity. In the friendly match that followed Spraire won 3-0, goals coming from McBena (2) and another for Verity.

Darlington Albion

The Under-11s played at home to Catterick AWS in a cup quarter final. Darlington Albion started slowly going into half time with a 1-0 lead with an excellent goal headed in by Luke Stone. The second half saw Albion step up the pace playing some excellent team football they were rewarded with another two good goals, scored by Michael Curnow and Luke Ward to give Albion a 3-0 win. Man of the match was Elvin Webley.

The Under-16s were at home to Colburn and won 3-0 with first half goals coming from Stephen Luck and Adrian Weston. Another goal from Luck made it three and with better finishing it could easily have been more. Luck also picked up the man of the match award.

In a cup fixture the Under-12s were away at Barnard Castle on a very wet pitch and in windy conditions Albion showed depth in character to come from behind twice and thus going through to their first ever semi-final with a 4-2 victory. Debut boy Jonathan Clark scored two goals and there was two from Richard Metcalfe including one penalty and an excellent finish after some fantastic team play.

The man of the match award went to the hard working Matthew Caley