Durham Sunday League: Alderson and Davis claim Buffs' scalp as Houghton Town boost title push

Town are fourth, five points behind Buffs but with three games in hand, after man of the match Brandon Anderson and Kyle Davis secured a 2-1 home victory.

Cameron Nichol notched for Pelton, with Kevin Dixon their top performer.

Chilton WMC boosted their survival bid with a fine 7-3 success at Waldridge Park to climb to fourth-bottom spot.

Doubles from Byron Brown and Steven Ferguson were supported by strikes by Kieran Harnett, David Harrison and Joe Cornbill.

Star man Chris Days and Adam Bell were among the goals for Waldridge.

Brandon Sports Club had to graft for their 1-0 victory against second-bottom Sacriston Cricket Club, with Michael Fort on target.

Robbie Shields starred for Brandon, with keeper Joe Thompson best for the visitors.

Sedgefield St Edmund’s romped to a 5-1 win at bottom club Sacriston WMC.

Lewis Brown (2), star man Calum Johnston, Dan Smith and sub Paul Wilkinson struck, with Luke Wilson replying. Jacob Horner shone for Sacriston.

Sherburn Village defeated lowly Ouston Cherry Tree 2-0, thanks to goals from Tom Young and Craig McManus, with Lee Broadley starring.

Andrew Clarkson, reverting to centre-half, was Ouston’s top man.

West Rainton extended their lead at the top of Division One to six points, thanks to a 2-1 derby win.

Houghton Chilton Lodge, with Adam Hinde on target, were sunk by efforts from star man Lee Walker and Kieran Bowes.

New Brancepeth WMC moved up to fourth-bottom spot with an impressive 4-1 success away to Coxhoe Red Lion.

Robbie Hurton netted for Lion, whose star man was keeper Tom Orton, but John Kidd’s brace, supported by strikes from man of the match Ryan Burton and Mark Hughes, steered Brancepeth to a vital third win of the season.

Ryan Salkeld and Chris Dunham shone at the back.

Framwellgate Moor WMC rose to second place on the back of a hard-fought 3-2 win over relegation-threatened Whitehills.

James Smith, Sam Plant and Jack Rutter did the damage, with James Mansell and Ryan Grayson responding. Lewis Coburn stood out for Moor, while Joe Whelan was best for Whitehills.

Four-goal Stuart Thompson stole the show as Bede Lodge SC handed out a 6-3 beating to Houghton Wild Boar All-Stars in Division Two.

Thompson’s clinical finishing was backed by efforts from David Duke and Michael Cooper, while Liam Lusk (penalty), Liam McKitten, volleying in a Lusk free-kick, and Dean Clark, with a fine header, responded. Shaun Corner was patched-up Boar’s top man, while stand-in keeper Nick Thompson pulled off a number of good saves to deny Bede a bigger win.

Chester Bar 18Seven consolidated second place with a close-fought 1-0 home win against Langley Park, with Allen Robson grabbing the only goal.

Langley hit the post.

Paul Botcherby was Chester’s top performer, while Tony Rutter stood out for never-say-die Langley.

Ferryhill Community Hub moved out of the relegation zone, and left visitors High Handenhold Bird Inn at the bottom, after a vital 3-2 victory.

Star man Lewis Newell, Alex Quinn and John Burnham struck for Hub. Dan Watkins and Jonny Swift got Bird back to 3-2 but Hub got everyone behind the ball to defend their lead.

Bishop Middleham, who were bottom before kick-off, also boosted their survival hopes with three precious points, winning 2-0 at Pelton Crown, whose star man was Connor Shaw.

Jon Hornsby headed the opener from John Cook’s pinpoint cross, then Gareth Hamblin smashed home a second from long range. Philip Best was Middleham’s top performer.

Lumley Snooker Club rose to third place in Division Three thanks to a 3-2 win against Pittington.

Jonny Scott and John Bates struck for the visitors, whose man of the match was Dean Richardson.

Bowburn maintained their promotion challenge with a hard-earned 4-3 victory at home to lowly Ouston Juniors.

Andrew Hall bagged a double for Ouston, also helped by a Philip Spencer own goal, with Matthew Cornish their star performer.

Zane Percival’s tremendous double, plus Adam Kirk’s strike and an own goal, steered Bowburn home.

Sedgefield Social Club outgunned Hetton New Inn 4-2 to go fourth in the table.

Doubles from star man Daniel Archer and Bradley Sharp did the damage.

East Rainton leapfrogged Bearpark into second place in Division Four after an ultimately convincing 4-1 triumph.

Dylan Crooks had Bearpark ahead, but the hosts crucially levelled just before the break.

Lee Gaunt’s double led the way for Rainton, with man of the match James Wood and sub Jon Grant also on the scoresheet.

Table-toppers Lambton Lions endured only their second defeat of the season as newcomers Grange Villa showed their promotion intentions with a thrilling 3-2 home win.

Man of the match Micky Gray, with a fiercely struck goal Mark Greener, netting at the second attempt after his header hit the bar, and Daniel Hill, with a classy free-kick, came up trumps for Villa, with Ben Goodwin and Jack Young responding.

Keeper Craig Foster was outstanding for Lions.

Bottom club Witton Gilbert WMC shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw with Durham Rangers. Paul Finnigan notched for Witton, who produced a much-improved performance, with Paul Reid their star man at centre-back.

Washington Cross Keys clinched a semi-final place in the JD Taxis Guards Cup after a hard-fought battle with Chester Garden Farm.

The First Division hosts relied on strikes from Adam Reay, scrambling home on the goal line, and Anthony Morrell, who curled in a memorable 25-yard free-kick in extra time, to claim a 2-1 home victory, with Darren Green the star of the show.

Garden Farm, from the Third Division, had keeper Jack Wilson sent off following a bad challenge when up for a corner in the dying moments.

Ross Elliott was their man of the match, with the prolific Ryan Johnson grabbing their opening goal.

Ferryhill Dynamoes marched into the last four with a 3-1 home success over Hilda Park.

James Hudspeth netted for Hilda, but the Chester-le-Street side were floored by strikes from Jonathan Mason (2) and Vinny Gash.

Nathan Carr starred for Ferryhill, while sub Chris Trevena stood out for Hilda Park.