Bay Plastics Northern Football Alliance League

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Match Reports 27/04/2024

Heaton Stannington A won the first divisional title of this Northern Alliance campaign, courtesy of an eventual, 6-2 win, at home to title-rivals, Hazlerigg Victory, and in doing so lifted the Team Valley Carpets Second Division, with two games spare.

In a game that was on a knife-edge until the closing twenty minutes, was eventually settled by a four-goal haul from the free-scoring James Harper, who close the afternoon with a fifteen-minute hat-trick at the death.

Harry Poole and Ryan Milburn also netted for the Stan’s reserves side and manager Russell Ward, who set the club up five years ago, has now led them to their second promotion, and first as champions.

He said: “It was an end-to-end game for seventy minutes, but the final twenty we were all over them.

“Mitchell Ramsay (Hazlerigg, Dean Gallagher added the other) scored one of the best goals I’ve seen, but in the end the result was all about James Harper, and the season about the strength-in-depth we have.

“It’s a fantastic achievement with what is a very young squad and, to do this, at Grounsell Park, in front of a good crowd, with two games spare, is something special.”

Elsewhere, in the Bay Plastics Premier Division, Alnwick Town took advantage of Wallington’s inactivity to close the gap at the top to ten points, with a game in hand, following a 5-1 win at Hebburn Town Reserves, Euan Potts with a hat-trick,

Percy Main Amateurs and Newcastle Chemfica, and Haltwhistle Jubilee and AFC Newbiggin, shared the spoils as they finished 1-1 and 2-2 respectively, Mackenzie Sharpe on-target again for the Main, and Luke Heppell with a brace for the ‘Biggin.

Marc Cowley scored twice as West Moor & Jesmond saw off visitors Gateshead Rutherford 4-0, whilst there were away wins for Stobswood Welfare, and Ponteland United.

North Shields Athletic hold a narrow, two-point advantage over Gosforth Bohemians, at the top of the Reeves Independent First Division, both picking up home win, whilst Newcastle University A, and Newcastle Blue Star U23s also won at home.

Athletic won 3-2 against a stubborn Winlaton side, Jonathan Coulthard with a hat-trick, and Bohs won 2-0 at home to Bedlington courtesy of a brace from Joe Hughes; other games in the Second Division, and with four points splitting second to fifth, it saw Amble, Cullercoats, Blyth Town Reserves, and Morpeth, all score three times in wins.

Wallsend Boys Club U23s meanwhile saw their lead atop of the Marsh Sports Insurance Third Division cut to five as they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Blyth Rangers, and second place Cramlington Town won 6-2 against visiting Westerhope United, Liam Greenacre with a brace for the victors in the latter, who go into the final throes with five games in hand.

Jamie Best also bagged three goals as his Whitley Bay Sporting Club A side win 4-2 at home to Gosforth Bohemians Reserves, and Dylan Swan a brace in Whickham U23s’ 2-0 win over North Shields Athletic Reserves.