Stokesley SC reached their third final of the season on Saturday following an eight-goal thriller with Coxhoe Athletic in the semi final of the Wearside League Cup.

There was no hint though at the halfway stage of the goal avalanche which was to follow. An only goal by Stuart Wise, who has recently played in the UniBond League for Gateshead, was all that separated the sides.

Early in the second period Jonathan Newton put Stokesley two up and from then on the floodgates opened at both ends.

Coxhoe looked dead and buried but fought back and after reducing the deficit through Wayne Gredziak, levelled as Ralph Pettijean also breached the Stokesley defence.

Stokesley quickly retaliated from the double setback to take a 5-2 lead. Richard Hore was the scorer of their third goal before man-of-the-match Newton completed his hat-trick.

There was still time for Michael Hodgson to give the scoreline greater respectability but Coxhoe's third goal came too late to change the result.

Stokesley are also into the finals of the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup and the Sunderland Shipowners' Cup.

Only three games went ahead in the league and Gateshead Reserves improved their position defeating Ferryhill Athletic in the bottom-of-the-table battle at the International Stadium.

Tony Clark broke the deadlock on the half hour following a goalmouth melee but the game was into the last minute as Jeremy Lundeya scored with a fine solo effort to make sure of the points for Gateshead.

The result leaves Ferryhill Athletic eight points behind second-from-basement Washington Nissan UK and 13 adrift of Gateshead Reserves.

Cleadon SC consolidated fifth position despite being held to a draw by Windscale at Jack Clark Park.

After Mark Young had given the visitors a first-half lead, Philip Shakespeare levelled with a tremendous shot from 30 yards which flashed into the bottom corner of the net.

New Marske were comfortable winners at Whitehaven with a brace of first-half goals from Adam Taylor. His first strike came as he chested the ball into the net and his second goal was the result of a terrific drive from just eight yards.

With the majority of games postponed because of waterlogged pitches, Darlington RA continue to lead the table by ten points from Coxhoe Athletic, who have three games in hand.

Stokesley have also fulfilled three fewer fixtures than RA but are 14 points off the top.