Durham Sunday League: Powney brace sparks Hetton Social comeback after Gilesgate Woodman spring a surprise

Hetton Social Club maintained top spot in Division Three after coming from two down to beat Gilesgate Woodman Inn 4-2.
Wearmouth CW (blue) take on Spennymoor Town in the Over-40s League last week. Picture by Tim RichardsonWearmouth CW (blue) take on Spennymoor Town in the Over-40s League last week. Picture by Tim Richardson
Wearmouth CW (blue) take on Spennymoor Town in the Over-40s League last week. Picture by Tim Richardson

Daniel Hatton and Michael Jones shocked Hetton as Woodman stormed ahead inside 20 minutes, but Hetton never looked back after being awarded a penalty described as ‘very soft’ by the visitors.

A deflected effort trickled in for 2-2, then two second-half strikes sealed the win. Karl Powney (2), Robert Fenwick and Brandon Finnigan struck for Hetton.

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Bearpark blew as two-goal lead as Chester Park Inn roared back for a 3-2 win on a poor pitch.

John Blake and Cameron Wilson, with a fine strike through a crowded goalmouth, had the hosts ahead.

Park Inn rallied as Steven Haswell battled well on the left wing and cut in to slot home.

Brett Turnbull made it 2-2, gambling on the boggy ground holding up a cross into the box and beating the keeper to it to score.

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Jonathan Dobson cleared off the line when Bearpark looked sure to go 3-2 up with a header, then Park won it on the break as Mark Swift coolly beat the keeper in a one on one.

Carl Hewitson (2), Luke Tinkler and Chris Vaughan notched as Quarrington Hill WMC drew 4-4 with Sacriston The Shoes.

Callum Bramwell hit Bishop Middleham’s goal in a 1-1 draw at Durham Rangers.

Newton Aycliffe Navy Club ran out 7-0 winners at never-say-die Witton Gilbert WMC, with Adam Cook the hosts’ top man.

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Charlie Fowler (3), Anthony Harrison, Reece Gowing, Tom Noble and Sam Richardson struck for Navy.

Hetton New Inn were crushed 7-1 at second-top Ferryhill Community Hub.

It was all square at 1-1 as the bottom two, Houghton Chilton Lodge and Bowburn, met in Division Two.

The pair are on eight points each, one adrift of third-bottom Sedgefield SC, while all the teams immediately above them have games in hand.

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It was a tight affair from the outset, with Chilton seeing the majority of the possession in the Bowburn half.

Bowburn started the second period brightly and quickly reaped their reward after a low cross was turned in at the near post by Adam Kirk.

Chilton rallied and a change of formation to 4-3-3 helped pile the pressure on the visitors’ defence.

The equalising goal came from good play down the left as Phil Steele cut the ball back to David ‘Jacka’ Jackson, who sidefooted his shot past keeper Paul Atkinson.

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Lodge created some good chances, but they could not find a winner, going close when a defender turned an Adam Hinde cross against his own post.

In the final moments, Callum Elliott scrambled a ball against the post and over the line, according to Chilton, but the referee could not see that it had definitely crossed the line and Bowburn survived.

Lodge also had a penalty appeal waved away.

Unbeaten East Rainton climbed to fourth place thanks to a 7-0 rout of Lumley Snooker Club, who missed some early chances and paid a heavy price.

Man of the match Olly Hotchkiss and Andrew Shepherd both notched twice for Rainton in arguably their best performance of the season so far.

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Kurtis Anderson, Lee Gaunt and James Wood also weighed in with goals against the hard-working visitors.

Damion Baston ran his socks off in vain for Lumley Snooker, who missed some early chances which could have put a different complexion on the game.

Table-toppers Ouston Juniors ran out 6-2 winners against out-of-sorts Pittington to go four points clear.

Ouston raced into an early lead and were 2-0 up after six minutes through a pair of Carl Moxon headers.

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Star man Conner Anderson (2) and Scott Johnson saw them five up before Pittington pulled one straight back.

The second half was tighter, with Johnson’s penalty making it 6-1 before Pittington, whose marksmen were Jonny Scott and Paul Harbisher, replied again.

Ushaw Moor Cricket Club got back to winning ways and were happy to leapfrog Grange Villa after a 3-2 away success.

Villa led when Gavin Bowen headed home Joe Murray’s cross, but good build-up play was finished off by a neat Mark English strike as Ushaw levelled.

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The cricketers took control in the second half, going ahead with a memorable bicycle kick strike from James Richardson.

Liam Mitchell levelled with an unstoppable strike into the top corner, but Lewis Cook hit the visitors’ winner with a header after Michael Abson flicked on a long throw,

Dubmire battled to a 3-3 draw at Sedgefield SC, with Stephen Donkin, James Gardiner and Elsdon Thompson their marksmen.

Brad Sharp and two-goal David Neal replied.

Neighbours Framwellgate Moor WMC and Bede Lodge served up a close-fought and 0-0 draw in Division One. Ian Field shone for Fram in a very good game which had chances for both sides.

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Sacriston WMC ran out 5-1 victors at Coxhoe Red Lion, who had Phillip Best on the scoresheet. Michael Hogg stood out for Lion.

Luke Wilson hit a treble for Sacriston, backed by David Winter and Ben Sanderson.

Sacriston Cricket Club outgunned a poor Chilton WMC side 4-1 to secure three precious points in the fight for Premier Division survival.

Fourth-bottom Sacriston were deserved winners, with David Gibson hitting the home consolation.

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Ash Liagi, Grant Boyd and two-goal Andrew Collinson notched for Sacriston.

Newton Aycliffe Huntsman rose to fourth place with a 4-1 defeat of Ferryhill Dynamos, who had Vinny Gash on target.

Leaders Pelton RAOB moved four points clear after an 11th victory in 12 games, 2-0 at Ouston Cherry Tree.

Whitehills reached the JD Taxis Guards Cup final in a dramatic shoot-out, after a 1-1 draw with Burnside WMC.

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Burnside dominated early on but failed to create any clear chances, but the breakthrough came as Callum Munro found enough space on the edge of the box to turn and shoot past keeper Tom Ellis.

Ellis had to tip away a brilliant Burnside free-kick before Whitehills levelled against the run of play with 20 minutes to go. A quick free-kick on the edge of the box was played to Ryan Grayson, and he fired into the top corner from just inside the area.

Ellis had to make another great save as Burnside pressed for a winner, then Chris Savage fired over, squandering a late chance for Whitehills.

Ellis was the hero in the shoot-out, saving all of Burnside’s penalties, with Brad Graham, Savage and Stephen Jackson converting for a 3-0 Whitehills win.

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Chester Garden Farm secured a good 4-2 win at Willington Queens Head in the Bishop Auckland Heart Foundation Cup, while Houghton Town edged past Washington Cross Keys 1-0.

Durham County also progressed, thumping Sedgefield St Edmund’s 5-1 away, but Sherburn exited 3-1 to Witton Park Rose & Crown, Hilda Park lost 1-0 to Coundon Miners Arms and Ferryhill Celtic were sunk 4-0 by visitors Peases West SC.