Masons on the slide

Over-40 League

Masons Arms, relegated last season, find themselves second bottom in Division One. They lost Premier Division status through deduction of points for a serious breach of rules - fielding an under-age player - but it was fully expecxted such a strong side would be odds-on favourites for promotion.

However, players have failed to support the club in their hour of need.

They went down 3-1 to promotion hopefuls Owton Manor. The first half was even with Manor leading 1-0. After the restart Manor went took a three-goal lead before the Masons Arms came back into the game. Whitehead scored to make it 3-1 but the revival came too late.

In the Premier, champions Billingham Wanderers won 4-2 at Blackhall. Wanderers led 1-0 at the interval through Keith Corner. After the restart Neil Wray equalised but Keith Aldridge put the Wanderers back in front and Malcolm Tupling made it 3-1. The issue was settled when substitute Ray Armstrong added a fourth, the best of the game from 25 yards. Blackhall scored late through Jeff Cranston in a goalmouth scramble. Wanderers were well worth their win and their man of the match was Bob Bishop.

Tomorrow, Wanderers entertain Benton Blue Flames at Norton and Stockton Ancients ground (10.30 am).

Ferryhill Greyhound showed their true form when they defeated Heworth Green 4-2 at home and moved away from the lower regions. Newton Aycliffe drew 1-1 away to Grindon to stay in promotion contention.

In Division Two, Hartlepool Catholic won 2-0 against Rams Head. The clash between two promotion rivals was an exciting. Catholic took the lead after 30 minutes when the keeper could only parry Mick McKLuskey's fierce shot. Boagie put away the loose ball. Catholic added a second when McLuskey screwed the ball into the net from a difficult angle. Rams edged the game in the second-half but being unable to break solid Catholic defence.

Barnard Castle and Steels fought out an exciting game which ended in a 3-3 draw - probably a fair result.

In Division Three, Billingham lost at home 3-2 to Durham C Strollers. Leading 2-0 at half time through a brace from Chris Stanton for the third week running, they faded badly in the second half allowing their opponents to score three goals to win a game they should have really lost.

Wynyard Vets are doing well in Division Four and they won 3-0 against previously undefeated side Consett and now lie in second position and promotion looks on the cards.

Premier Division

P W D L F A Pts

Sunderland Rail 6 5 0 1 16 4 15

Blue Flames 6 3 2 1 9 9 11

Marden 6 2 4 0 11 7 10

Steels 5 3 0 2 14 9 9

Billingham W 5 2 2 1 12 6 8

Penshaw CC 6 2 2 2 12 11 8

Bates Cottages 6 2 2 2 10 9 8

N Police 6 2 1 3 15 19 7

Inn Place 4 2 0 2 8 7 6

Sedgefield 6 1 1 4 13 17 4

Blackhall H 5 1 0 4 9 18 3

Gateshead Ex-S 5 1 0 4 9 22 3

Division One

Wearmouth 7 6 0 1 23 8 18

Usworth WMC 6 4 1 1 13 8 3

Owton Manor 5 3 2 0 13 6 11

Sunderland Cath 5 3 1 1 11 8 10

Newton Aycliffe 6 3 1 2 9 8 10

Byker St Peters 6 3 1 2 10 13 10

Gateshead HQ 5 2 0 3 10 12 6

Ferryhill G 5 1 2 2 8 10 5

Grindon B 4 1 1 2 5 9 4

Darsley Park 6 1 1 4 9 10 4

Masons Arms 6 1 0 5 11 16 3

Barnes Hotel 5 0 0 5 3 14 0

Division Two

H'pool Catholic Club 6 4 2 0 14 7 14

Board Inn 7 3 3 1 16 13 12

Rams Head 6 3 1 2 14 8 10

British Telecom 6 3 1 2 11 10 10

Wallsend RS 6 3 0 3 10 10 9

Glaxo 6 2 2 2 12 12 8

Steels FC 6 2 1 3 11 12 7

Touchdown H 6 2 1 3 10 14 7

Boldon BB 6 1 3 2 12 11 6

Redhouse WMC 5 1 3 1 9 9 6

Rockcliffe A 6 1 2 3 4 9 5

NS Wanderers 6 1 1 4 10 19 4

Division Three

Hylton Castle 8 4 3 1 17 9 15

Regency W 6 4 1 1 16 10 3

Oddies 5 2 3 0 13 9 9

Taylors 5 3 0 2 12 13 9

Cleveland B 5 2 2 1 14 9 8

Durham CS 6 2 0 4 14 16 6

Billingham T 7 1 3 3 16 20 6

Spring Gdns 3 1 2 0 6 5 5

Roker Queen Vic 6 1 2 3 9 13 5

Wingate 5 1 1 3 8 15 4

Houghton CC 5 1 0 4 7 13 3

Division Four

SS Lake 7 5 1 1 23 14 6

Wynyard Vets 5 4 0 1 18 4 12

Hebburn DT 7 3 3 1 15 11 12

West Cornforth 6 2 4 0 15 10 10

Consett 4 3 0 1 13 3 9

Winstons 5 3 0 2 9 11 9

White Horse Inn 6 2 2 2 13 22 3

NS Vets 5 2 1 2 15 9 7

Livingstones 5 1 3 1 11 11 6

Halfway House 6 1 2 3 12 17 5

Sportsmans A 6 1 1 4 12 18 4

Darlington R 5 0 2 3 13 22 2

Houghton Mill 6 0 0 6 8 25 0

North East Christian Fellowship League

Jesmond Parish Church stayed top of Division One with a 2-0 win at Whitley Bay Churches, with goals from Matthew Flenley and Kieron McGreane securing the points.

City Church Sunderland had Simon Normandale and Noel Harrison to thank for putting them 2-0 ahead at Consett Methodist Church. But Consett Methodists responded with David Rowe and Craig Nichols goals to make the score at 2-2 at the break. Martin Harvey restored City's lead with John Crister levelling before two goals from Ryan Pender gave City Church a 5-3 win.

Stranton Saints Hartlepool earned their first win of the season, a 4-0 victory over Ryton Church with a brace each from Mark Purdie and Mark Boargy.

Anthony Willis gave Airport Church the lead against Heaton Hearts with Paul Richardson levelling the match at 1-1. In the second half Hearts scored straight from the restart through Joe Costigan and Rick Simpson stretched the lead to 3-1. Airport Church pulled a goal back just after the hour mark and a David Alexander penalty levelled the score. However, in the last two minutes Oliver scored Airport's winner in a 4-3 success.

In the Second Division the Wearside Community Churches' A and B teams met with Mark Huck collecting all three goals for the A team while Steven Walls replied.

Monkwearmouth lead 2-1 at half time with goals from Barry Battell and Ben Hodgson with Peter Munro responding for Bethany Christian Centre but the match ended 2-2 with Scott Holmes scoring the equaliser for Bethany.

Lanchester Chapel and Yarm Emmanuel saw goals galore as they fought out a 4-4 draw. Karl Hepplewight (2), Chris Petts and John Jackson were the marksmen for Lanchester. Yarm had Chris Garrad, David McQuillian and Tim Boyes (2) on the score sheet.

Heworth Christian Fellowship took a 2-1 half time lead at St Peter's Low Fell, with goals from Geoff Emmerson and Gary Harkness while the Saints had Michael Clay to thank for their strike. The Saints turned things round in the second half, taking a 4-2 lead with David Donaldson, a pair, and a strike from Rob Laybourne. Heworth pulled a goal back from Nick Rowling but Saints held out to win 4-3.

Durham Alliance

Boys Welfare were always in control of their Clem Smith Bowl first-round tie and were comfortable 4-2 winners against Washington Cross Keys.

Boys Welfare went in at half time with a 2-1 lead but came out in the second half more determined and now have a home tie with Belford House. The scorers for Boys Welfare were Jeff Cooper (2), Tony Forster and Chris Birbeck. Paul Diamond and Steven Yule replied for Cross Keys.

Belford House took a three-goal lead at Herrington CW who hit back strongly after the break, eventually going down 3-2.

Herrington CW, weakened by injuries and work commitments, were completely overrun in the first half against a very efficient Belford House performance.

Belford House were good value for their three-goal interval thorugh Joe Holborn, James McCoy and Eric Lisle.

A couple of substitutions by the Herrington manager for the second half, including introducing himself to the match, paid dividends as the welfare side scored twice through Paul Taylor and Les Gamble to make for an exciting finish.

In a dire struggle Sunderland Flying Boat gained a 2-0 win at Chesters and now face another trip, this time to Whitehill. Flying Boat's goals came from Steven Foster and Rob Henderson.

In probably the most exciting tie of the round the young Springwell side travelled to Whitehill and gave their more experienced opponents a run for their money before losing 4-3.

Springwell took an early lead and held thelead at half time.

However, within two minutes of the second period Springwell went two up and looked favourites to progress. Then came the Whitehill fight-back.

Ross Robson reduced the arrears in the 53rd minute and Paul Rutherford squared the tie in 60 minutes.

But Springwell hit back to take the lead on 61 minutes and throw the match back into the melting pot. Whitehill pressed and the pressure finally told when John Routledge scored in the 88th minute, taking the tie into extra time and the golden goal came from Whitehill's Peter Norton with a 20-yard drive to take the Chester-le-Street side into the next round and a home game against Sunderland Flying Boat.

Leaders Seaham The Duke preserved their unbeaten record in a tough 1-1 encounter - a fair result - with champions Washington Westwood. Jason Fox gave Westwood the lead only for John Pinder to equalise with a second half penalty.