Wearside League: Battling Coxhoe go down fighting to ruthless Wolviston

However, it was Coxhoe who went in front as early as the fifth minute, when Kadam Parnaby fired past goalkeeper Chris Davidson.

In the 17th minute, Wolviston equalised when Junior Masandi tapped the ball home, following a good team move.

The visitors were ahead four minutes later, Phillip Otele beating goalkeeper Jack Elcoat from close range. Then, just before half-time, Andrew McGirr headed home at the far post to secure a 3-1 interval advantage.

In the second half, Masandi scored his second of the game when he beat the offside trap and finished well, making it 4-1.

Never-say-die Athletic reduced the arrears when Dylan Crooks scored from the penalty spot after 67 minutes, but Wolviston were comfortable in seeing out the game to clinch all three points.

Wolviston secretary Keith Simpson said: “It wasn’t a classic game. It was a game that we did just enough to win, but overall a fair result after going down to an early goal.

“To be fair to Coxhoe, they really turned the screw in the second half.

“It was a very tight game, but a fair result in the end. We didn’t play as well as we have done lately, but we settle for the three points which we came to get.”

Leam Rangers edged a fine 2-1 win away to third-bottom Windscale.

The Gateshead side made a great start when they made the breakthrough in the fifth minute, with Gordon Hutchinson’s volley flying into the back of the net, giving goalkeeper James Dolan no chance.

On the hour mark, Leam made it 2-0, when Carl Taylor smashed the ball home.

Although the Cumbrians pulled one back, through a Stephen Walker header, with eight minutes to go, the visitors held out for a welcome victory.

South Shields Reserves dropped a place to fifth-bottom, when they lost 2-1 at home to Darlington Reserves.

Darlington raced into a 2-0 lead within half an hour, as Lee Hume smashed in a 25-yard free-kick past goalkeeper Jack Ramage, and Myles Swift scored the second following a defensive mix-up following a corner.

Shields pulled one back just after half-time, when David Loch scored from close range to beat goalkeeper Aaron Skelton, but the visitors were worthy of the three points and moved up to sixth place with the victory.

Cleator Moor Celtic, knocked off top spot by Hebburn Town Reserves’ Friday night victory, returned to pole position thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win at Richmond Town.

Callum Birdsall gave them a 30th minute lead heading a free-kick past goalkeeper Adam Cunningham.

It was 2-0 just after the break, when Bradley Rooney scored from close range, and then Birdsall made the game safe, in the 75th minute, when he broke clear and finished well.

Silksworth CW were left disappointed when their visit to Annfield Plain was postponed.

Boldon CA’s home clash with Stokesley SC was also called off, as was Redcar Athletic’s trip to bottom club Prudhoe Town.