Wilton 1st brought Durham University's 3rd team to Southlands for what was always going to be a testing tie.

The students started brightest, pressuring until their centre forward turned the Wilton defence at top circle and cracked home an excellent back hand shot. Wilton forced their way back into the game and when a deflected penalty corner was illegally 'batted' off the line Peter Brewer stepped up to coolly convert the resulting penalty stroke.

Durham again took the lead, some slick passing play creating an opening at the near post. Wilton rallied and began to hold more possession, men of the match Adam Clarke and Scott Morton providing unlimited leg work around the midfield.

When Mark Whitworth played John Tombling through to professionally slot past the Durham keeper the students heads went down and Peter Brewer capitalised scoring the winner in a thrilling 3-2 scoreline with a beautifully netted rebound from another penalty corner.

Wilton's 11-game unbeaten run will be strongly tested next week at table toppers Northumbria St Georges.

North-East Division One (top three): North St Georges played 14, points 35; Wilton 14, 33; Richmond 15, 26.

Wilton 3rds travelled to Gateshead on Saturday with only one thing in mind. Wilton controlled the game from start to finish showing flashes of excellent attacking play together with some brilliant defending marshalled by veterans Tony Clarke and Mark Hinson.

Wilton broke the deadlock after some persistently solid forward play by Michael Broadway, his first goal for the club and hopefully his signal of intent for the future. Wilton took a 1-0 deficit into the half time break. They opened up the second half strongly some hard and determined running by Paul Wicks made way for Ian Bates to get in on the scoring, his endless running was, at times breathless and was clearly more than the Gateshead defence could cope with.

Wilton's third came when Michael Barclay latched onto a long searching pass from the defence and slotted home with apparent ease. Excellent work by Andy Gray and tireless work by man of the match Mark Pallister kept Wilton ticking over, the game was concluded when a well worked short corner routine was converted by captain Tony Clarke, who will revel in his side's first playing victory of the season.