The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League

The preliminary and first round matches in The Northern Echo League Cup turned out some surprising scorelines and proved to be very fruitful for Third Division sides as four of them knocked out Second Division opposition.

Runaway Third Division leaders Shuttle and Loom beat Bishop Auckland Derby 6-1 in one of the two preliminary round games, with goals from leading scorer Stuart Curry and Kevin Baines with two and one each for Mike Button and Warren Moncur

AFC Orange, second in Division Three, pulled off the biggest shock by beating runaway Second Division leaders Nestfield Club 3-2. Kevin Kokes (2) and Danny Ofosu were the Orange scorers. Mark Kemp and John Robson replied for Nestfield.

21st All Stars also had an excellent victory over Second Division opposition, beating second-placed Green Dragon 4-3.

All Stars got off to a good start, Darren Kokes scoring after ten minutes. The lead was increased when Damien Franklin lobbed the Dragon keeper from 35 yards. Dragon kept going and pulled a goal back with a 30-yard shot from Martin Lamont. Allstars hit back and Michael Lancaster made it 3-1 at half-time.

Dragon changed their format at the interval and piled on the pressure at the start of the second-half. The pressure finally paid off as Elliott McCabe pulled a goal back to make it 3-2. But again the All Stars hit back when a long ball from Stephen Stacey sent Kokes away and he second goal. Dave Abdale gota third for the Dragon .

Hurworth Albion, third in Division Three, beat Second Division Greyhound 5-2. Albion led 3-0 at half-time, Greyhound pulled one back early in the second half - only for Hurworth to reply immediately. Greyhound pulled another back to make it 4-2 but once again Hurworth regained the three goal lead. Scorers for Hurworth were Kelvin Russell with two and Jamie Edwards, Saul Charlton and Richard Hill with one each. Gary Brown and Ian Gibson were Greyhound scorers.

Hoppers Transport proved too strong for Division Three strugglers The Falchion, playing their first game for two months. Leading 4 -0 down at half time, Hoppers ran out 8-0 winners. With two goals from Darren Shooter and Ian Thompson and one each from Chris Jordan, Brian Thornton, Andy Thompson and Simon Hullah.

In the all Division Two tie Newton Cap beat Smith & Allen 5-4 with a golden goal in extra time. Cap took the game to the visitors in the early stages, but a mistake by the keeper allowed Alan Storey to give S and A the lead. Ten minutes before half time Cap equalised as Stewart put James Foster through. Lee Petch made it 2-1 to Cap early in the second half. Ten minutes later the teams were level again as Shuan Campbell scored. Paul Stewart with a 30 yarder made it 32 to Cap and Dean Stanley added another to make it 4-2 with 20 minutes still to play. Graham Button pulled one back almost immediately to set up a tense finale. With only seconds remaining a shot from Matthew Glenton was deflected past the Cap keeper f or 4-4 and extra time. Cap defended the first period and rode their luck to keep level. In the second period a corner from Lee Petch went straight into the net for the golden goal.

East End WMC came from 3-2 down to beat Third Division Bishop Auckland King's Head. The Clubmen dominated the first 20 minutes and went 2-0 up through Wayne Buckley and Chris Scott. Kings Head gradually came more into the game and pulled a goal back just before half time through Jonathan Brecken. They equalised three minutes into the second half, Alan Lamb converting from the penalty spot. Chris Scott then scored two more for East End to complete his hat-trick and make the score 4-2. Brecken scored his second goal of the game for Kings Head to give East End an anxious last five minutes but they managed to hold on for the victory.

Two of the Division One championship contenders met in the other preliminary round tie with third placed Team Scania beating leaders Newton Aycliffe Sports Club 2-1 with goals from Andy Kelly and top scorer Lee Hammond. Micky Molloy scoring for the Sports Club.