Wearside League: Four-goal Silksworth rout Darlington in spectacular fashion

Victory saw the Wearsiders leapfrog their hosts into eighth place, with four games in hand on the Quakers.

Adam Storey opened the scoring on 20 minutes, with Fraser Colling adding Silksworth’s second goal just three minutes later.

Davey Stevens added their other two goals, in the 75th and 80th minutes, to clinch an excellent away victory.

Silksworth manager Andrew Stobbart said: “It was a solid and comfortable performance.

“We won by a good margin of 4-0, but it could easily have been more.

“I’m very happy that we kept a second clean sheet in two weeks.”

Silksworth face a tough game against visitors Redcar Athletic tonight and head to Consett on Wednesday to meet Annfield Plain.

Fifth-placed Sunderland West End succumbed to a hard-fought 2-0 defeat away to league leaders Cleator Moor Celtic.

After 34 minutes, Cleator’s Darren Little ran down the wing and crossed to Kieran Maguire, who fired past goalkeeper Graeme Pickering to open the scoring.

The Cumbrians doubled their lead after 74 minutes, when Tom Mahone ran through the middle of the park and fed Callum Birdsall, who crossed for Little to fire his second goal.

That secured three vital points for the home side, who are three points clear of Hebburn Town Reserves and have a game in hand.

West End co-manager Anthony Nelson, after suffering just a fifth league defeat of the season, said: “They did a good job on us, and I can honestly say ‘well done’ to them. I hope they go on and win the league, as they do deserve it.”

West End are away to Stokesley on Wednesday.

Second-top Hebburn Town Reserves kept their title ambitions on course as they came from 2-0 behind to beat Hartlepool by the odd goal in five.

Jamie Tumility scored twice, in the 29th and 36th minutes, to put Pool in a commanding position.

However, Josh Houghton pulled one back with a free-kick, just before half-time.

Two minutes into the second half, Hebburn equalised in controversial fashion.

Hartlepool keeper Elliot Coils was flattened in the box, but the referee waved play on and, at the third attempt following up, Gary Crutwell fired the ball home.

The winner came on 59 minutes, when Coils fumbled the ball and Jamie Lawson gleefully scored from close range.

Leam Rangers edged out Wolviston 4-3 in an entertaining game.

Wolviston took the lead in the 24th minute, after Jake Stott collected the ball on the edge of box and fired into the corner of the net, past keeper Neil Postlethwaite.

Leam equalised two minutes later, though, when Alan Mulholland slotted into the bottom corner of the net, beyond goalkeeper Chris Davidson. Leon Kane then put the Hilltop men 2-1 up on 42 minutes.

Four minutes after the interval, Junior Masandi hauled Wolviston level, but James Wood restored Leam’s lead on 63 minutes and fKane added his second to make it 4-2, five minutes later.

Wolviston pulled one back in the 80th minute, Masandi scoring his second, but the Gateshead men held on to all three points.

Redcar Athletic had to come back from 2-0 down, at home to Harton and Westoe CW, to keep the pressure on the top two.

Harton took the lead on 32 minutes, through Aaron Coulson’s close-range shot past keeper Will Lawrence, and he scored his second on the stroke of half-time, converting a good cross from Grant Pressling.

Athletic’s fightback began in the 46th minute, when Adam Preston burst through and netted.

Harton fought well to retain their lead until the 82nd minute, when Preston equalised from the penalty spot.

Five minutes later, Coulson hit the bar and, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, Redcar won the game 3-2 in dramatic fashion, courtesy of a back header from Stuart Brown.

Coxhoe Athletic’s home clash with Richmond Town was abandoned after a broken leg sustained by Coxhoe’s Jay Smith, who required an ambulance.

Fourth-top Boldon CA’s home clash with Stokesley SC was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch, as was Annfield Plain’s visit to South Shields Reserves.