Thornaby reach final

Thornaby made it to the final of the Macmillan Bowl with an extra time win following a titanic battle at Carlin How.

Thornaby, 3-2 winners, will meet the winners of the Grangetown BC-Cargo Fleet match in the final at Guisborough Town on May 14.

Visitors Thornaby were fastest out of the blocks and took a tenth-minute lead when, with the wind behind them and attacking down the slope, a corner found Wayne Mahoney at the back post to head them in front.

Five minutes later Carlin How had a penalty refused when Ryan Scott looked to have been felled in the box. Five minutes into the second-half following a corner Scott had a shot on goal which Mark Harkin in the Carlin How goal kept out but Matthew Jones was on hand to bundle the ball home to make it 1-1. In the 65th Thornaby regained. The lead lasted until the 71st minute, when following another corner, Scott headed against the Thornaby bar and down to Graham Solomon who crashed the ball home through a field of legs, taking the match into extra time and in the 98th minute, from another corner, Robbie Shaw rose above everyone to head home.

Wolviston Res. reached the final of the R T Raine Trophy with a 1-0 win at Thornaby YC. They will meet Bedale Athletic at Guisborough Town on May 9. Thornaby YC only came into the game in the last ten minutes of the first-half. After the break they were the better side with Wolviston's keeper keeping his side level. Wolviston had a ball cleared off the Youth Club line by Dave Butterworth. In the final minute Wolviston booked their place in the final following a clearance from the Thornaby box, Ian Thompson hit a 35 yarder into the top corner.

Acklam SW, not playing well recently, showed some of their old flair with a 6-0 league win over visitors New Marske SC.

Acklam took a tenth-minute lead through Steve Boyle and Steve Burns made it 2-0 at the half-time break. Boyle added a third before limping off injured. Five minutes later Michael Farley with his first of the season made it 4-0. Man of the match Paul Burns added a fifth and Michael Brown, making his debut, added the sixth.

Bedale Athletic gained a 3-0 home win over BEADS. A fast-paced match remained goalless until a minute before half-time when Bedale took the lead when Michael Robinson's cross was headed home by Simon Carpenter. In the second-half after early BEADS pressure Bedale got on top and in the 58th minute took a 2-0 lead from a Robinson penalty. Victory was assured with nine minutes remaining with a first of the season from Simon Heslop.

Grangetown BC, still in with a chance of the runners-up spot, gained a 2-0 win over Fishburn Park, scoring twice in as many minutes. There was a first of the season from Garry Broughton after 35 minutes and Lee Seed added a second within a minute.

In a nine-goal thriller at the King George V playing fields, Hollybush Utd gained a 6-3 against home side Guisborough Town Res.

Hollybush raced into a two-goal lead with a double from Ian Kirkbright in the 27th and 40th minutes. Spirited Guisborough side pulled a goal back in the second minute of the second-half through Ewan McGee, his first for Town and also the 1000th goal scored in the league. But six minutes later Ian Crawford regained the visitors two-goal advantage. Liam Thompson made a fight of it by making it 3-2 in the 66th minute. But a minute later Gary Smithies made it 4-2. The visitors stepped up a gear and in the 70th minute completed a hat-trick to make 5-2. With seven minutes remaining, Smithies added a sixth with five minutes remaining Adam McFarlane with his first of the season made it 6-3.

Mackinlay Park, like a number of clubs, asked their visitors to host the match, due to rugby commitments. Nunthorpe agreed and strolled to a 6-1 win, racing into a three-goal lead with a Peter Boldison first-half hat-trick. Mackinlay Park pulled a goal back in the 67th minute through Dave Hall. But Nunthorpe hit back and Andrew Robson with his first of the season made it 4-1. Gary Hyde clinched the points with a double strike in the 75th and 80th minutes

Whitby Town Reserves gained a revenge 1-0 win over Richmond Town who beat them 3-0 at Richmond. In a tight match, Whitby took a 14th minute lead through Yan Awisi. The visitors rarely threatened in the match but with 15 minutes remaining they were given a lift when Whitby were reduced to ten men, captain Paul Buck sent off.

Stokesley SC suffered a 3-0 home defeat against Cargo Fleet on Friday. Stokesley SC were hoping to gain the points to take them out of the bottom three in this Friday evening match that was brought forward 24 hours. Fleet struck first in the 15th minute when Michael Crowe scored his 5th of the season past stand in keeper Tony Escritt. The home side fought back but with an under strength side were no match for the visitors but were only 1-0 behind at half time. In the second half Fleet took a 2-0 lead five minutes into the half through Dave Howe, his second in consecutive games. And on the hour Paul Jewitt had the honour of scoring his side's 100th goal of the season, the first team to do so in the season.

Cargo Fleet were held to a 1-1 home draw to Wolviston Res. in midweek. David Howes scored on his debut for Fleet with Ian Thompson scoring an equaliser.

Fishburn Park switched their match to Carlin How as the Showfield was unplayable, the game ending 2-2. They got off to a great start when Sam Locker's first of the season gave them a fifth-minute lead. Michael Hall doubled their lead 15 minutes later. Carlin How, who had six players booked, pulled one back 12 minutes from the break through Jason Draper. Just before half-time Carlin How were reduced to ten men when Richard Darcy was sent off for foul and abusive language.

Two minutes into the second half the early pressure of Carlin How paid off when they were awarded a penalty from which Matty Jones equalised.

Thornaby bounced back from the derby defeat by the Youth Club with a 3-2 win over champions Grangetown BC, going ahead through Darren Fixture. The Boys Club levelled ten minutes later when Seed crossed for Ian McGowan to score. Thornaby had a good chance to regain the lead in the 35th minute but Stuart Jackson hit a post. On the hour they were rewarded with a Jackson goal. The Boys Club fought back and in the 82nd minute a solo effort from Seed made it 2-2. Five minutes from time a corner by Robbie Shaw was cleared out by the Boys Club but only for Wayne Mahoney to smash home.

Thornaby YC switched their match to Stokesley as their pitch was not fit to play and Stokesley SC earned a point from a 2-2 draw.

Lowly Stokesley took the lead five minutes from the break through Phil Rowling, his first of the season, heading home a free-kick.

In the second-half, Thornaby showed a little bit more fight, but in the 57th minute Stokesley took a two-goal lead when Dominic Ingram got on the end of a Matty Homan through ball to slide the ball past Craig Longstaff in the Youth Club goal. Stokesley nearly took a 3-0 lead when Dave Butterworth cleared a Rowling goal-bound shot off the line. This seemed to stirred the Youth Club and on the hour Mac Allen pulled a goal back and he salvaged a point for his club, converting a penalty, a bitter blow for Stokesley.

Whitby Town Reserves gained a 3-0 win over Guisborough Town Res. with goals from Simon Anderson (2) and Graham Brewer.