Falcon swoops to score twice on debut

City have been badly hit by injuries as they battle against relegation, and manager Adam Furness signed Falcon from Gateshead club Leam Lane just hours before the kick off, and he said: “I think this was the first time he’d played in the Northern League. When you consider that he hadn’t met the other players before, I thought he fitted in nicely! It was a great result for us with a heavily depleted squad.”

City took the lead with a shot by Mattie Scott on 12 minutes, then just before half time Falcon, who came on as sub for Mark Baitey, ran through and beat Marske keeper Olly West.

John Alexander pulled a goal back for Marske, but in the last minute Falcon burst away again and chipped the keeper for the third.

Marske manager Ted Watts said: “We didn’t have enough quality in the first half in the final third, and we gave away two poor goals. It was a better second half, we should have had a penalty for handball on the line, missed a great chance to make it 2-2 with five minutes left. We must stop giving away poor goals.”

Darlington are now 25 points clear of West Auckland at the top and 29 clear of third placed Spennymoor after they thumped Sunderland RCA 7-2 at Heritage Park.

Read the full match report on the Darlington section of the Northern Echo website.

Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon said: “Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon said: “We were in the game at 3-2 and then collapsed. Darlington could then have scored double figures.”

Billingham Town continued their revival with their fifth win in seven games to lift them out of the relegation zone with a single goal win over Consett.

Town looked down and out a month ago, but now they’re seventh bottom and two points above the relegation places, but have played more games than everyone around them.

Michael Mackay had an early effort cleared off the Town line and also hit the post, but the breakthrough that Town so badly needed came midway through the second half when Nicky Martin was fouled by Consett defender Scott Martindale who was then red carded, and Glen Butterworth scored from the spot.

Newcastle Benfield are now third bottom, just below Penrith on goal difference.

Billingham Town manager Carl Jarrett said: “The lads deserve so much credit of late as we finally got out of the bottom three for the first time in months. The game was end to end and Butty held his nerve to get us the points from the spot. It was a hard working performance from the lads and hopefully we can take our good form into Monday’s derby game.”

Consett manager Ken Lindoe said: “Missed chances in the first half proved costly and a penalty was given by the assistant for a trip that was clearly outside the box. A sending off for the same incident was a bit harsh as the forward’s heels were clipped unintentionally but what’s the point in saying anything?”

Penrith lost 4-1 at home to Bedlington for whom Paul Brayson scored after 28 minutes. Brayson scored his second, and 23rd league goal of the season eight minutes after half time, but Scott Allison pulled a goal back for Penrith. However , Phil Bannister and Mark Doninger scored twice in the last seven minutes to give Bedlington the points.

Hebburn still aren’t completely out of trouble after a 0-0 draw with Bishop Auckland. Hebburn had strong appeals for a penalty turned down, while Andrew Johnson hit the bar for Bishops.

Hebburn manager Paul Bennett said: “A game in which chances were as rare as hairs on my head. We will take a point after being on an horrific run but we are looking over our shoulders after Billingham Town have put in a few performances of late. I said at the start of the season 45 might be enough to stop up, we may need 50 now.”

Bishop Auckland manager Colin Myers said: “For the second week in a row we were dreadful. The players think that they can ease off now that they have reached a final but they were told in no uncertain terms that certainly isn’t the case.”

South Shields now look down after they lost 2-0 at Ashington. Matty Grieve gave Ashington an early lead from a corner, and Andrew Johnson scored the second with ten minutes left. Shields had Lee Bell sent off near the end.

Shields have now failed to score in 17 league games this season.

Ashington assistant manager Perry Briggs said: “It was a good win again, and we can’t ask for any more from the players.”

West Auckland hopes of taking runners-up spot suffered a blow when they were beaten 3-2 at Guisborough.

West took the lead through Mark Stephenson from a corner after 23 minutes, but Guisborough levelled through recent signing Danny Johnson from a Liam O’Sullivan assist. Liam McPhillips ran through and rounded the keeper to put Guisborough into the lead just before half time. McPhillips made it 3-1 on 64 minutes, and after West’s Paul Garthwaite was red carded, John Campbell scored a second for West deep into stoppage time.

West are still second, four points ahead of Spennymoor, but they have played nine games more.

Guisborough manager Chris Hardy said: “We ran out worthy winners in a game that apart from the first 20 minutes we controlled for the best part and created the better chances in the game. It was another excellent result and team performance against one of the top northern league sides and again shows the giant strides we are making as a team, when you consider the three games prior against West Auckland played 3, won 0, lost 3, goals against 16.”

West Auckland manager Peter Dixon said: "There were three poor teams on display -- and we were second behind the officials."

Celtic Nation had keeper trouble again in their 1-0 away defeat at Dunston UTS.

A fortnight ago they used three keepers at Hebburn, and on Saturday they had Dan Lowson dismissed – just as he was at Hebburn -- midway through the second half for bringing down Steve Goddard, but player-manager Steve Skinner went in goal and saved Ben Cattanach’s spot kick.

But Dunston kept up the pressure, and Lee McAndrew fired the winner seven minutes from the end.

Dunston manager Billy Irwin said: “It was a tough game against a good team. I’m delighted with the points.”

Celtic Nation manager Steve Skinner said: “It was another wasted journey as the ref spoilt the game and am getting really sick of saying now but with the team we had out today they gave everything.

“It’s great game, but it’s cruel at times. We’ll regroup now for Tuesday night.”

The growing possibility that Ryhope CW might be denied promotion because their ground is below standard has really livened up the second division promotion race. If they are denied promotion, then fourth placed might be promoted, or the third bottom in the first division reprieved, but any final decision will be left to the FA. Ryhope didn’t play on Saturday because their game at Tow Law was postponed because of a snow-covered pitch.

Crook Town are eleven points clear of Ryhope at the top of the division thanks to a 3-1 win at Ryton and Crawcrook. Warren Byrne put them in the lead after 12 minutes, but Ryton battled back and levelled through Lawrence McKenna.

Byrne scored his 27th league goal of the season to restore Crook’s lead, which Richard Hodgson added to in the second half.

Crook manager Gary Pearson said: “I’m disappointed to have conceded, but all in all a decent win away from home to gain another three points, especially as we had six missing. We are getting ever closer to promotion but can’t count our chickens yet.”

Jarrow Roofing are now eight points ahead of the other promotion contenders after they comfortably beat Birtley 4-0. Liam McBryde scored a hat trick to give him 23 league goals for the season, while Anth Myers scored the other.

Birtley manager Scott Oliver said: “The players think the season is over. They have eight games to persuade me to carry on next season. We didn’t get out of second gear, and I was disgusted.”

Jarrow Roofing manager Richie McLoughlin said: “We played some good football. We had lots of chances but their keeper made some great saves.”

Darlington RA, in fourth, could have done with more than just a single point from their 1-1 draw at Chester-le-Street. New signing James Baxter gave Chester an excellent start with an early goal, but Louis Whensley levelled in the second half for the RA. Chester hit the bar twice in the game.

Darlington RA manager Nick Harrison said: “It was a fair result, we were second best in the first half and both sides could have nicked it.”

Chester-le-Street manager Colin Wake said: “It was a fair result. We were the better side in the first half and went in 1-0 up. Darlo RA were better in the second half and deservedly equalised. We should have won two minutes from time when we lobbed over the bar, plus we hit the bar twice.”

Seaham Red Star drew 1-1 with Morpeth to keep them in sight of the leaders. Richard Goodman put Seaham into the lead ten minutes after half time, but Stephen Anderson fired the equaliser for the Northumbrians in the dying seconds.

Seaham manager Mark Collingwood said: “We rode our luck, but with a threadbare squad I thought we played fantastic. A month ago we would have lost that game, we showed great resilience and character today.”

Horden are stuck on the bottom after they were beaten 5-1 at Stokesley, who are now seven points above the relegation zone.

Ben Bonner pounced on a mistake to give Stokesley a half time lead, and he scored the second with a header just after half time. Kristian Kamara made it 3-0 with a penalty, then Bonner completed his second hat trick of the season. Xavier Bravo made it 5-0 with a good strike, before Darren Atkinson pulled a goal back from the penalty spot.

Stokesley assistant manager Chris Lax said: “I’m pleased we got a vital three points in our bid to fight off relegation. A scrappy first half in which we struggled to get the ball down and play yet we went in 1-0 up. In the second half we upped the tempo of our game and were worthy winners.”

Esh Winning are still second bottom after they were beaten 4-1 at Whitehaven. Jonathan Roseby and David Dustin scored twice in three minutes to put Whitehaven two goals in the lead, and after Kevin Hamilton pulled a goal back with an excellent shot, Whitehaven clinched the points with goals in the last 15 minutes through Dustin and Robert Ennis.

Esh Winning manager Brian Maitland said: “The team did well, Kev Hamilton scored a screamer.”

Peter Mulcaster’s first league game of Northallerton in his third spell in charge saw them beat third bottom Alnwick 3-1 at Ainderby Road. Carl Chillingsworth pounced on a poor back pass to round the keeper and score the opening goal, but Alnwick quickly levelled through Tony Brown at the second attempt.

Town regained the lead with 20 minutes left through Craig Winter from a Gav Parkin corner, and they got the third when James Bowman’s shot was blocked, and Adam Emson snapped up his 27th league goal of the season from the loose ball.

Northallerton manager Peter Mulcaster said: “Not as good a performance as the result. We were not at our best, but happy with the result.”

Brandon drew 1-1 with Washington after the visitors took the lead with an own goal on 30 minutes, but Andrew Blackburn levelled for Brandon with ten minutes left.

Whickham beat Thornaby 2-0 at the Glebe, with goals by Scott Swanston and Rudi Nellis.

In the Evostik League, Whitby drew 1-1 with Craig Farrell scoring their goal from the spot, while Blyth lost 3-1 at Ilkeston, Joe Kendrick on target.