Wearside League: West End's impressive show of character seals cup quarter-final place

Rowan Simpson’s strike had visitors South Shields Reserves ahead in the second round clash until the 70th minute at Ford Quarry, when Bradley Foster threw West End a lifeline.

Two minutes later, Matt Halliday beat goalkeeper Curtis Richardson to seal a hard-earned win for Barry Cook’s side.

Seaham Red Star Reserves were on the receiving end of an eight-goal thrashing when they hosted title challengers Richmond Town in a first round tie.

The Yorkshiremen – the Wearside League’s leading scorers with 88 goals in only 23 games – just about had the tie in the bag by the ninth minute.

With six minutes gone, Stephen Butterworth fired past goalkeeper Chay Adamson. Before the Star defence had time to settle, Scott Ryan raced clear of his markers to double his team’s lead.

Although Seaham tightened up at the back, it was definitely all over for them by the time the half-time whistle blew.

Man-of-the-match Ryan set up Ben Darville, who beat the offside trap to scorem and Ryan made it four, forcing the ball over the line from close-range.

There was no respite for Adamson and his defenders in the second half either. Richmond made it six, scoring twice within 60 seconds through Kallum Holbrook, who delivered two clinical finishes.

It wasn’t over by any means. Ryan completed an excellent hat-trick and, just before the end, Dan Cavely added to the Star’s woes, making it 8-0.

In the league, Silksworth CW remain fourth-top following a narrow 2-1 victory over bottom-of-the-table Harton and Westoe CW.

A brace of first-half goals by Stephen Moody put the Colliers into a good position, but, when Dominic Solman halved the deficit, it was all to play for.

Silksworth, though, coped with late pressure to secure their 14th win of the campaign.

Jarrow are the new leaders following a comfortable 4-0 victory over Darlington 1883 Reserves at Perth Green.

All the goals came in the opening 45 minutes. David Morton tapped in from two yards on 11 minutes and six minutes later Jonathan Hirst struck from a free kick.

Morton added a third, heading in a corner, and completed his hat-trick on the stroke of half time when he again beat goalkeeper Carl Robinson with another well-directed header.

Richmond Town, who were on cup duty, slipped back to second and Redcar Athletic are third after hitting Stokesley SC with a 7-1 hammering.

Adam Preston (2), Anthony James, Andrew Jennings, Chris Bivens, Sam Webster and debutant Sam Garvie were all on target, but the best goal of the eight came from Stokesley’s Dale Johnston, who beat Redcar goalkeeper Will Lawrence with a stunning drive from fully 30 yards.

Ashbrooke Belford House were well beaten by visitors Coxhoe Athletic, whose man-of-the-match was hat-trick hero Ross Morrow.

He buried two shots past Ashbrooke keeper David Passmore in the opening 30 minutes and, when Andrew Morris added a third goal just before the hour mark, the hosts faced a near impossible task.

Andy Campbell gave Belford hope but Morrow celebrated again to make it 4-1. Ashbrooke’s Andrew Morris cut the deficit to two goals, but his namesake in the Coxhoe line-up added a decisive fifth for the visitors.

Boldon CA stayed fifth after seeing off Wolviston 2-0.

James Pickering nudged in Tom West’s cross on 50 minutes, but it wasn’t until just before the final whistle that Shaun Carroll beat the offside trap to ensure victory.

Hartlepool are also in the top six and they, too, won by a two-goal margin at Prudhoe Town. Alex Marshall converted a penalty after an hour and, 10 minutes from time John Stephenson rounded goalkeeper Liam Blair to end any hopes Prudhoe harboured of taking a point.

In an all-Cumbrian TWR Shipowners’ Cup tie, Cleator Moor Celtic comfortably saw off rivals Windscale 3-0 courtesy of Adam Meagan’s goal and two Ryan Hall penalties.