Five star performance puts Shildon eight points clear

Shildon thumped Dunston UTS, one of their main challengers, by 5-0 at Dean Street to give them a commanding lead at the top.

“It was a really good win,” said manager Gary Forrest. “That’s a 7-1 and 5-0 win against top six sides in our last two home games. Ben Wood and Anth Bell were unplayable, and it’s good to see Micky Rae back scoring goals and enjoying his football. He’s grabbed his chance with both hands.”

It was Dunston who nearly took the lead when Steve Bowey hit the post, but Shildon took the lead just before half time when Anthony Bell carved open the Dunston defence for Rae to round the keeper and score.

Rae made it 2-0 at the second attempt early in the second half, and that enabled the Railwaymen to take complete command. Lewis Dodds scored the third from a Ben Wood cross, Billy Greulich-Smith fired the fourth and Lewis Wing added a fifth near the end after his initial shot was blocked.

Dunston UTS manager Billy Irwin said; “We deserved to be level at half time but once the second goal went in, there was only one winner. We have to work harder as a group.”

West Auckland won their third successive league game and are now five points clear of the drop zone after a 3-1 away win at West Allotment.

Ian Maddison had a header cleared off the Allotment line before West took the lead when Matty Crossen, who has returned to the club after a brief spell at Marske, saw his shot diverted into the Allotment goal by a defender.

They went 2-0 up when Scott Oldfield set up Adam Burnicle to fire home, and in the second half Chris Emms made it 3-0 with a lovely chip over the keeper.

Allotment pulled a late goal back through Dan Robinson, Manager Andy Campbell said; “It’s been a great last ten days for us, three league wins and a County Cup semi final place.”

Fourth placed Washington lost 3-1 at home to Seaham Red Star.

The visitors took the lead through Chris Lynch from a pass by Paul Gardiner, and just after half time David Paul and Robbie Bird combined well for David Palmer to fire home for the second.

Paul, signed recently from Easington, then set up Palmer for another, before Washington pulled a goal back through Mark Davison.

Seaham Red Star manager Mark Collingwood said; “We dominated the game from the first whistle. Hopefully we can get the required nine points to be safe as soon as possible and then re-assess our targets. We beat a good side and never looked like losing the game.”

Newton Aycliffe are now up to joint fifth with Dunston and Marske after they won 2-1 at Sunderland RCA.

After a goalless first half, Aycliffe took the lead when John Campbell broke through and rounded the keeper, but Colin Larkin fired the equaliser for the RCA from a Michael Charlton pass.

But Aycliffe recovered, and scored the winner when Campbell clinically finished off a good move.

Newton Aycliffe manager Peter Dixon said; “We were patched-up a little, but I thought we dominated the game throughout.”

Bishop Auckland are now ten points above the relegation zone after they easily beat Norton 3-0 at Heritage Park.

They took the lead after 6 minutes when Ross Colquhoun headed in Jeff Smith’s corner, and then they had three goals disallowed by Fred Woodhouse (twice) and Andrew Johnson, who also hit the post and the bar.

They finally got the second with seven minutes left when Johnson’s shot was cleared off the line, and Priestley Griffiths, following up, scored from the rebound.

They scored a deserved third when Adam Nicholls crossed for Johnson to have a shot blocked, but Sean Tarling snapped up the rebound..

Bishop Auckland manager Steve Riley said; “It was a great performance, and the score should really have been six or seven. It was a welcome clean sheet and Adam Nicholls excelled.”

Norton manager Deano Browne said; “We deserved to get beat against a strong Bishop team who worked harder and wanted it more. Very frustrating.”

The game between Durham and Marske at Belle View was abandoned on the hour because of snow with the scores goalless.

In the second division, Ryhope CW are now six points behind leaders South Shields after they won 4-1 at Darlington RA.

Rob Moncur put the RA into the lead, but Nathan O’Neill replied with a disputed penalty for handball O’Neill fired Ryhope into the lead, with Kyle Davis and Mattie Weirs adding further goals.

Ryhope CW manager Gary Pearson said; “We went 1-0 down to a scrappy goal, but after a fortunate penalty we stepped up to the plate and turned it on to produce a very good victory. Decisions change games and we have had a few bad ones against us of late so happy to be on the other end but couldn’t fault the second half performance.”

Fourth placed Chester-le-Street were held to a 2-2 draw at second bottom Esh Winning after being two goals down at one stage.

Esh led with goals by Liam Clark and Adam Ward by the hour mark, but Chester hit back with an own goal and Craig Mickle.

Esh Winning manager Keith Brown said; “I was very disappointed with the result. After going 2-0 up we could have managed the game better. It will prove to be a valuable point against a good Chester-le-Street side. We were a bit naïve and made mistakes that cost us, but we will take the positives and move on to the next game.”

Team Northumbria also missed a chance to move closer to the top three because they were held to a 1-1 draw at Thornaby. Robert Spence put TN into the lead, with Stephen Butterworth equalising five minutes from the end after David Dormand was sent off for a foul on Thornaby keeper Michael Duff.

Those results worked in Northallerton’s favour, as they won 2-0 at Billingham Town.

Josh Keogh put Northallerton into the lead with a 30 yarder a minute before half time, and nine minutes after the break Damon Reaks broke away on the end of a Stuart Owens long ball and scored the second.

Northallerton keeper Mattie Calvert saved a Drew Lambert penalty late in the game.

Northallerton manager Darren Trotter said; “We weren’t at our best today, but we took our chances and controlled the game.”

Billingham Town manager Barry Oliver said; “I’m very disappointed because I thought they were never better than us and as much as the scoreline says 2-0. On another day if we had put our chances away, we would have taken the three points. But credit to them, they were organised and stopped us playing our normal game, but we will learn from it and make us stronger as a group.”

Tow Law came back from a goal down with nine men to draw 1-1 at home to Hebburn. Paul Oxley was dismissed for deliberate handball on the line, and Calvin McMahon scored from the penalty on 50 minutes. Kai Hewitson scored a great individual goal for the equaliser, but he was also sent off for violent conduct on 67 minutes. But the nine men held on for a point.

Hebburn manager Scott Oliver said; “Tow Law’s keeper was outstanding. We dominated the game, but that’s football. They had two men sent off, and that made it attack v defence. Credit to Tow Law for hanging on.”

Tow Law manager Steve Murray said; “We played 40 minutes with 10 men and 23 minutes with nine men. We conceded a penalty and came from behind to get a point. Only 5 defeats in 21 league games now. Feels like a win really.”

Easington beat bottom club Stokesley 4-1, with goals by Joe Kerridge, Aidan Heywood, Shaun Smith and Luke Page, with Connor Campbell replying for Stokesley.

Bad weather forced the postponement of the games at Bedlington, Morpeth, Newcastle Benfield, Penrith and Whitley Bay in the first division, and in the second at Alnwick, Ryton and South Shields.