Durham Sunday League: Mawson seals cup final date for Garden Farm

In a well-contested tie, Garden Farm created most of the chances and finally took one, with Robbie Mawson’s strike proving enough.

Michael Barron starred for Farm, with Joe Jenkinson best for County.

They meet Burnside WMC in the final on April 8.

On a day when only 13 games got the green light, Burnsidesecured a convincing 4-0 Third Division win at Sedgefield SC.

The home keeper had to make some good saves before Burnside made the breakthrough, with Dan Cummings’ inch-perfect cross met with a well-guided header from Max Stoker.

It was 2-0 straight after the break with some great link-up play in the box for Cummjngs to coolly slot home.

Sedgefield’s keeper kept the score at 2-0 with some acrobatic saves which he had no right to make, though he stood no chance with Paul Gardner’s 40-yard piledriver into the top corner.

Darren Moody made some fine saves to keep Burnside on top, and the visitors added a fourth when Craig Ellison burst late into the box to fizz one into the bottom corner for his 40th of the season.

Lumley Snooker Club cruised to a 4-1 win over Chester-le-Street AFC, hitting all four goals before the interval. Kicking downhill played a major part in Lumley’s first-half dominance.

Two great finishes, from Dan Young and Anth Jones, led the way, added to a brilliantly created chance strike from Jones.

The fourth was a lovely team move, with the ball curled into the top corner from outside the box by Rob Laws.

Elliot Rimington hit Chester’s second-half consolation. Alan Hall starred for Chester, Kevin Watson for Lumley.

Houghton Wild Boar All-Stars endured a 4-1 First Division beating on a very heavy Ferryhill Dynamos pitch – and are still not safe from the drop.

Ferryhill dominated the first half and turned around 2-0 up thanks to goals from Marco Oswald and Kurt Seymour. Seymour added a third on the hour mark, before Shaun Corner blasted home on 75 minutes to give Boar a lifeline. Seymour, though, added a well-worked fourth for Dynamos to complete his hat-trick.

Karl Anderson starred for Boar, with Stephen Ward best for Ferryhill.

Whitehills moved eight points clear thanks to a very hard-fought 2-1 win over relegation-threatened New Brancepeth WMC.

Richard Cousins made the breakthrough, volleying into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, with the help of a slight deflection, after Branceoeth failed to clear a throw from star man Stephen Fisher.

New Brancepeth were the better team on the restart and levelled with Anthony Bussey’s strike from the edge of the box.

Whitehills, though, snatched a stunning 70th-minute winner when James Blackburn ran onto a looping ball, as the visitors struggled to clear, and volleyed it goalwards from 30 yards, with the keeper unable to keep it out.

Brancepeth threw everything at the hosts late on, but the home defence held firm to see out the win.

Omar Moustafa stood out for Brancepeth in a magnificent all-round team performance.

Chilton WMC netted twice in the second half to secure a close-fought 2-1 Premier Division success at Pelaw Grange Dogs.

Star man Joe Cornbill, side footing home past Craig Bain, and Leam Dent, arriving unmarked to head home inside the six-yard box, earned Chilton the victory, while Dogs rallied strongly at the end and scored a late consolation goal, through sub Josh Donnelly, from a tight angle.

Jordan Stevens shone for Pelaw despite shooting straight at the keeper with two good chances and then, in the final seconds, shooting instead of passing to an unmarked team-mate.

Second-top Sacriston Cricket Club lost 3-2 at home to Sedgefield St Edmund’s in a real game of two halves.

Sacriston gifted Sedgefield two first-half goals, scored by John Maddison and Lewis Brown, and never got into the game until the visitors’ Glenn Donaldson scored a worldie 20-yard volley to make it 3-0.

Sacriston dominated the second half. A mistake by otherwise excellent keeper John Brown got them back into the game, then Gary Draper cut the deficit to 3-2.

Good defending and goalkeeping denied dominant Sacriston a point or more.

Craig Coates shone for Sacriston, Graham Kime for Saints.

Framwellgate Moor WMC beat Bishop Middleham 6-3 in Division Two, capitalising on some sloppy play by the visitors.

James Smith fired a hat-trick, with two-goal Watne Gardner and Lewis Coburn also netting. Jack Robson, captain Jonathan Hornsby and Kadam Lumsden-Parnaby tried in vain to rally Bishop.

Alan Hall starred for Moor.

Bede Lodge SC paid a heavy price for their mistakes as High Handenhold Bird Inn cruised to a deserved 5-1 away victory

It was 1-1 at the break, but Bird revelled in a Thomas Illingworth hat-trick, with Daniel Watkins and Jack McRobbie also on target. McRobbie also hit the bar, and Illingworth missed out in a one on one, as the visitors could have run riot.

Ben Thomas shone for Bird, with keeper Jordan Craggs best for Bede.

Pelton Crown were good 5-2 victors at Pittington, with Kris Lawton’s treble doing the damage.

Dean Stewart and John Morris also struck, with Brian Colledge and Josh Hugill responding. Keeper John Best shone for Pittington.

Ferryhill Celtic shared the spoils with Ferryhill Community Hub in a good derby.

Shane Todd had Celtic ahead at the break, but Hub rallied strongly to go 2-1 up through Nathan Wall’s double. Home pressure paid off as Marco Linhart levelled 10 minutes from time.

John Poulson shone for Hub, John Makepeace for Celtic.

There were only two games in Division Four. Lumley ran out 4-1 winners at home to Eppleton Cricket Club.

Brett Russell headed Lumley into the lead, but Lewis Cullen hauled Eppleton level.

Jonny Cossar fired Lumley back in front, super sub Ross Hughes made it 3-1 with his first touch and Cossar completed the scoring with his second. Michael Ambler stood out for Eppleton.

Witton Gilbert Travellers Rest returned to winning ways, outgunning Durham Federation 5-0.

David Calcutt opened the scoring early on with a good finish from Scott Bradley’s through pass, then made it 2-0, flicking a long throw through keeper George Barclay’s legs.

Dan Cooke bagged a second-half hat-trick, his second in four games, after harassing defenders into mistakes.

Adam Milburn stood out for Federation.

The league has set dates for all six domestic cup finals, which will all be played at New Ferens Park with a 7.30pm kick-off.

Friday, April 1: D&P Trophies Knockout Cup

Friday, April 8: Stepy’s Coaches President’s Trophy

Friday, April 22: Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club Cup

Friday, April 29: JD Taxis Guards Cup

Friday, May 6: Castle Insurance Alan Smith Memorial Trophy

Friday, May 13: Stonebridge Inn League Cup