Durham Sunday League: Houghton Town enjoy a really happy Munday

Town had star man Kyle Davis, two-goal Harry Munday and Ross Galley on target as they climbed to fourth place.

Sherburn Village edged home 4-3 in a thriller at Ouston Cherry Tree, inspired by a Nicky Marley hat-trick.

West Rainton won the match of the day 1-0 against second-top Hilda Park to go five points clear.

Both teams attacked when they had the chance in a stop-start clash, with Rainton having the edge but only making the breakthrough in the final few minutes when Hilda failed to defend a near-post corner and Scott Redmayne headed home.

Jamie Bowes stood out for Rainton, with keeper Lee Henderson magnificent for Hilda.

Whitehills secured only their second win to climb off the bottom of the table.

A fantastic first-half performance inspired a 3-0 victory at New Brancepeth WMC, who dropped to the foot with the defeat, albeit with six games in hand.

James Cattell opened the scoring when he headed in a Ryan Grayson cross, then Grayson lobbed the ball over onrushing keeper Daniel Sowerby to make it 2-0.

Grayson added a third goal, finishing off after Joe Whelan broke in style from a New Brancepeth corner.

Whitehills had to scrap to see out the victory as New Brancepeth shot out of the blocks in the second half and forced Whitehills keeper Liam Smith into two magnificent saves to keep the three-goal lead intact.

Anthony Bussey starred for Brancepeth.

Coxhoe Red Lion squeezed home 3-2 in an entertaining clash with Framwellgate Moor WMC, when the result could have gone either way.

Coxhoe kept running the longer and came away with all 3 points.

Adam Strong, Michael Cairns and Robby Hurton netted for Coxhoe, with keeper Tom Orton the star man.

Lewis Coburn and Adam Kitching notched for Moor, whose man of the match was James Smith.

Leaders Pelton Crown shrugged off a 15th-minute red card for Paul Shaw to outgun Langley Park 3-0 in Division Two.

They were in front early on and survived a missed Langley penalty before securing the points with two late goals s the visitors pressed.

Liam Mitchell (2) and star man Connor Shaw netted, with keeper Lee Harrison impressing. Tony Rutter shone in vain for Langley.

Second-top Durham County pipped hosts Bede Lodge SC 3-2 away in a tight game between two well-matched sides, with Joe Kerry, Chris Brown and Robson Brown notching.

Chris Dodds and Stuart Thompson netted for Bede, whose star man was Alex Wilson. Jack Hodgkiss shone for County, who missed a penalty.

Ushaw Moor Cricket Club held on to see out a 3-1 win at Ferryhill Community Hub.

Third-placed Ushaw controlled the game and stormed 3-0 ahead by the break, thanks to goals from Paul Taylor, Michael Abson and Adam Milburn.

Ferryhill got back into the game and pulled one back after the visitors had Scott Nattrass was controversially sent off.

Stephen Hancock starred for Ushaw Moor.

High Handenhold Bird Inn edged a thrilling 5-4 success at Bishop Middleham, with Jonny Swift hitting four goals.

Bishops played well in spells and led 2-1, then trailed 4-2 before hitting back to level only to be beaten late on.

Jonathan Smith and Craig Henderson had Bishops ahead at the break. Star man Jonathan Hornsby and Philip Best rallied the hosts from 4-2 down and they were gutted to have a goal disallowed, claiming the ball was two feet over the line, and being instantly hit on the break for Marc Wood’s winner, when they insisted a handball offence had been committed.

Grange Villa pipped Bearpark 3-2 in a great advertisement for the Fourth Division.

Villa took the lead on nine minutes when Michael Brown headed home a Mark Greener corner.

But Bearpark levelled 12 minutes later, Tom Clark smashing home after a corner wasn’t fully cleared.

Villa regained the lead with a disputed penalty, after Danny Hill was adjudged to have been fouled, with Hill dusting himself down to score.

Bearpark were reduced to 10 men following the penalty award, but they battled well, despite going 3-1 down when Greener fired home from outside the area.

But Bearpark’s superb second-half dominance made life tough for the hosts. Craig Bennett pulled it back to 3-2 and ensured a nervous finale.

Villa were awarded a last-minute penalty, but Dean Turnbull’s spot-kick was saved by Michael Crooks.

Leaders Lambton Lions had to scrap for their 4-2 victory at Durham Rangers.

Kenny Wilks netted both for Rangers, but Ross Mitchinson’s treble and an Adam Cameron strike steered Lions home.

Gateshead Last Orders moved second, above Bearpark, with a 5-0 defeat of Witton Gilbert WMC,

Tom Maughan bagged a double, as did Lee Brotherton, with Steven Kyle also netting. Chris Daley starred.

Durham Buffaloes Head secured only their second point of the season, twice coming from behind, thanks to a well-taken Ross Wilby double, to draw 2-2 with Quarrington Hill, who had two goals controversially ruled out.

East Rainton cruised to a 6-0 win at Sacriston The Shoes.

Lee Gaunt (2), James Wood (2), Jon Grant and Andrew Shepherd all scored, with Ollie Hotchkiss star man.

Dubmire moved top in Division Three, with games in hand, after a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Pittington.

Jonny Scott netted for Pittington, who had Peter Cole sent off. John Bates was their star man.

Sedgefield SC beat Lumley 2-1 to go second, with star man Scott Melvin hitting the visitors’ consolation.

Newton Aycliffe Locomotion sent Premier Division champions Pelton RAOB crashing out of the Durham County Sunday Cup, with a 4-1 away success.

Aycliffe dominated the game from the off, putting Pelton under pressure with some high pressing.

They took the lead when Corey Nicholson was chopped down in the box and Stuart Owen kept his cool to convert the resulting penalty.

It was 2-0 when Danny Richmond headed in a Stuart Owen corner, the Owen added a third from another penalty, after the ever-dangerous Nicholson was brought down again in the box.

Pelton came into the game on the restart, but Aycliffe hit them on the counter to go 4-0 up, Nicholson picking the ball up on the edge of his own box and beating five or six men before giving Kieran Megran the easiest of tap-ins.

Pelton pulled a goal back with 20 minutes left.

Chester Garden Farm secured a 3-1 victory at Lumley Snooker Club in the Ramside Hall Hotel Cup-Winners’ Cup first round.

Ryan Johnson gave Garden Farm a 25th-minute lead, and Scott Howe doubled the advantage five minutes later.

Johnson killed off Snooker with a third goal on 35 minutes, with Andrew Willcocj grabbing a consolation five minutes from time.

Keeper Jack Wilson was outstanding for Farm, while Dan Fleming made some good saves for Lumley.

Ferryhill Dynamoes proved too strong for hosts Chester Bar 18Seven in the JD Taxis Guards Cup second round.

Hat-tricks from Vinny Gash and Jonathan Mason did the damage as Ferryhill ran out 6-0 winners. They dominated from start to finish, despite the dismissal of Thomas Olley, and were four up by the interval. Chris Devine starred.