Darlington RA jumped from tenth to fifth in the STL Northern League second division with a 2-1 home win over Horden last night.
Horden took the lead after 7 minutes when RA keeper Phil Pentony tangled with one of his own defenders, and presented a simple tap in to Aaron Ramsbottom, but the RA quickly levelled when Michael Barnett scored from just inside the area.
The crucial winner came on 79 minutes when Louis Whensley volleyed home from the edge of the area. Horden manager Brian Honour said: "It was a tough game and could have gone either way." Darlington RA manager Nick Harrison said: "The pitch and Horden made it difficult to play our passing game, but we were solid and needed a bit of quality in the final third, which Louis finally gave us late on."
Consett easily strolled through to the next round of the Brooks Mileson Northern League Cup with a 5-2 home win over Northallerton.
Consett did all the damage in the first half, when former Hartlepool striker Michael Mackay scored a hat trick inside the first 31 minutes. Harrison Davies added a fourth just on the half time whistle. Peter Bulmer pulled one back at the start of the second half, but Gavin Ross made it 5-1 on 86 minutes before Carl Chillingsworth scored in stoppage time. Northallerton manager Mark Fanning said: "First half we were all the place, giving them too much time on the ball and conceding sloppy goals. Four nil down at half time we were staring down the barrel. I asked the lads to regain some pride and win the second half and fair play to them they did."
Consett manager Kenny Lindoe said: "We played well enough in the 1st half. 4-0 up and a superb goal from Harrison Davies albeit Mackay's firat and third goals were give aways. Second half we were rubbish and deservedly lost 2-1 .But that's us,capable but not always totally committed."
In the Northumberland Senior Cup, Bedlington reached the semi finals courtesy of a 2-0 away win at Morpeth.
The second division side held out for an hour until Steven Baptiste and Steve Richardson scored within two minutes of each other in the second half.
Whitby’s new signing, Andy Appleby from Crook, scored a late equaliser to give the seasiders a 3-3 draw against Stocksbridge in the Evostik NPL Premier Division.
Evostik NPL Premier Division.
Whitby Town 3 (Beadle, Robinson, Appleby) Stocksbridge 3.
STL Northern League Division Two.
Darlington RA 2 (Barnett, Whensley) Horden 1 (Aaron Ramsbottom).
Brooks Mileson Northern League Cup.
Consett 5 (Mackay 3, Davies, Ross) Northallerton 2 (Bulmer, Chillingsworth).
Northumberland Senior Cup quarter final.
Morpeth 0 Bedlington 2 (Baptiste, Richardson),
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