Thursday 31st. March 2011

Another 238 matches played last week, with 1075 goals being scored and 66 players scoring hat-tricks or better.

First of all, a quick get well soon message for Peter Harbron of Billingham Town U10 who broke his ankle last Saturday. A totally unexpected break for the youngster, as he wasn't even involved in a tackle. Really sad, but credit to him, he went to the second game over the weekend on the Sunday, using crutches, to cheer his team mates on and they won. Our hopes for a speedy recovery for Peter.

There were six players who scored five goals last weekend but two players helped themselves to six goals each. Vincent Gascoigne-Allen for Wolsingham AFC in the Under 11 sixth division and Owen Moore for Marton Hall Drive in the Under 13 third division, where the final score in that particular game over at FC Kader ended in an amazing 12-7 win for Marton Hall Drive.

To the matches I highlighted from last weekend now and a magnificent result for Boro' Rangers away at Wynyard Village "a" in the Under 11 first division. Both teams remain Championship contenders, but Boro' Rangers totally reversed the score in the first League game, when they lost by three goals to two, with an excellent 5-1 win. The Wynyard goal from Billy Shipman, but the valuable three points to Boro' Rangers with goals from Lewis Clark, Mason Morris-Laverick, Lee Riley, Connor Simpson and Isaac Walker. The favourites for the Championship in that division must have changed about six times over the course of the last three months and there are still a number of teams in with a shout for the top spot.

In the local derby, when Cumby Rovers hosted Newton Aycliffe Youth in the Under 12 fifth division, the spoils were shared in a 2-2 draw. The Cumby goals both came from James Morley with Josh Gash and Josh Samuels scoring for Aycliffe. Another division where there's still a lot to play for.

The Stockton Town Under 9 teams gained quite a unique double last weekend as their "a" team marched into the final of the TJFA League Cup with a 2-0 win over 21st. Allstars "a" in the semi-final, whilst their "b" team also made it to Rockliffe Park by winning 2-0 against Mount Pleasant Rangers in the TJFA Challenge Cup semi-final. Both the Stockton "a" team goals from Isaac Fletcher, with the "b" team scoring through Max Adam and David Tooke.

I mentioned last week that there would be a really tight game down at Richmond Town "a" in the TJFA League Cup semi-final in the Under 10 North Riding age group, where they were entertaining Marton Hall Drive. Well, that semi-final was 0-0 at the final whistle with Marton Hall Drive, who are also going extremely well in the first division, securing their place in the final at Hurworth on penalties. A great performance by second division Richmond Town "a" though, who remain in the hunt for divisional honours.

Primrose Hill kept their 100% record intact with a convincing 7-2 win over close rivals Skelton United in the Under 11 fifth division. The prolific Jamie Leeming scored 4 for Primrose, with the others from Lewis Lyons, Joshua Maxwell and Nathan Wilson. Marcus Earl and Luke Hartnett scoring for Skelton United who are still in with a major chance of visiting The Tall Trees at the end of May.

Whilst North Ormesby Under 9's have guaranteed themselves a place at The Tall Trees, they will have to wait a little longer to make sure they go there as Champions after they were held to a 1-1 draw by a useful Richmond Town in the North Riding second division. The North Ormesby goal from Lloyd Griffiths with Richmond gaining a valuable point with a strike from Joseph Hope.

Northallerton Juniors are almost within touching distance of the League title in the Under 9 North Riding third division, as they won a very difficult match against a strong Redcar Town "b" team. The only goal of the game coming from Luke Rance.

The top two teams, with almost identical records, played over at Hartlepool last weekend when St. Francis 2000 hosted Mount Pleasant Rangers in the Under 10 Durham second division and the title race looks between these two, with only five games left each as they battled out a 1-1 draw. The opener for St. Francis 2000 from Jack Bond cancelled out by an equaliser for Mount Pleasant by Lee Wilkinson. Both teams remain unbeaten after 17 League matches.

Normanby United hosted high-flying Northallerton Juniors in the Under 10 North Riding second division and earned themselves a valuable point with a 1-1 draw. That still gives Normanby a chance of gaining a visit to The Tall Trees, while Northallerton are major players in the race for the Championship. A goal for Samantha Wells for Normanby with the Northallerton goal from Jack Stapley.

In the Under 13 fourth division, another two teams battling it our for end of season silverware went head to head as Newton Aycliffe Youth hosted Middleton Rangers. The sides couldn't be separated at the end of a match which finished 2-2, with Liam Craggs and Jake Nicholls on the scoresheet for Aycliffe Youth and Matty Davison and Harry Notman scoring for Middleton.

St. Francis 2000 "b" look racing certainties for the Championship of the Under 15 second division as they gained a narrow, but vital, 1-0 win over their closest rivals, Brompton Juniors last weekend. The all-important goal from Haiden Donnelly puts them seven points clear at the top and they still have a game in hand over their nearest rivals.

A similar story in the third division in that Under 15 age group, as Stockton Town gained an impressive 4-1 win over Beechwood Youth. The Beechwood goal from Jack Lidster, but a fine hat-trick by Callum Carberry and a goal from Jake Mack keeps Stockton Town as firm title favourites.

Stockton Rangers are also in reach of silverware as they travelled over to Saltburn Athletic and, in a tricky looking fixture in the Under 15 fourth division, won by 2 goals to nil. Goals for Shaun Hughes and Jamie Russell maintains their six point advantage at the top.

A tremendous result for Redcar Town "b", who I mentioned a couple of weeks ago as the "dark horses" in the Under 16 third division, as they travelled down to Whitby to take on the previously unbeaten and top of the table Fishburn Park team, Redcar Town coming away with the vital three points with a 1-0 win. The Redcar goalscorer was Robert Dean and the fight for honours gathers pace in that division with the end of the season about five games away for most of the contenders.

Finally, a great comeback for Stokesley FC "a" in the Under 18 first division, who found themselves 3-1 down but came back to win a difficult looking match at home to Redcar Athletic "a" by four goals to three. The Redcar goalscorers were Andy Tullock, who got two, and Mitchell Morris, but the three points to Stokesley "a" with goals from Jack Roper, Jack Williams and Ged Livingstone who scored twice.

Well, yet another busy and interesting weekend coming up, in addition to a number of evening games as the lighter nights arrive we have around 240 League matches and a further 16 Cup matches scheduled to be played. My selections from yet another great looking fixture list would be:

Under 11 - Div. 2 - Golden Flatts v Spraire Lads "a" - 11:00am
A must see match, with top hosting second, as Spraire Lads from Darlington make the journey over to Hartlepool to take on Golden Flatts. Level on points, with Spraire Lads having a game in hand, this is a match which really could go either way. A question of whether the Spraire Lads defence, which has conceded only 9 goals in 16 games, can thwart the Golden Flatts attacking policy which has seen them rack up 77 goals in their 17 games so far. A cracking looking fixture.

Under 12 - Div. 1 - Kader FC v Marton FC - 11:00am
A local derby, over at Sandy Flatts in Acklam as the 100% Kader team entertain their closest rivals, Marton FC, who are unbeaten so far this season. Both these teams look set for divisional honours with a question mark over who will be the eventual Champions. This match is likely to be a huge decider and the outcome is not easy to guess. A massive match, of the highest quality, which could go either way.

Under 18 - Div. 1 - Stokesley FC "a" v Stockton Town - 1:30pm
A big game in the oldest age group as Stockton Town travel across to Stokesley for a key game in the top flight. Stockton lost, a little surprisingly last week, over at Billingham Town and will be hoping to bounce back this weekend, but both teams have quite a few matches outstanding, and they are both in with major chances of claiming divisional honours. This should be a cracking game of football in the oldest age group we provide football for.

Under 14 - Div. 4 - Eaglescliffe Elementis v Newton Aycliffe Youth - 1:30pm
A cracking game over at Urlay Nook, where Newton Aycliffe Youth, currently in second spot, take on the league leaders and Champions elect Eaglescliffe Elementis. Vital for Aycliffe Youth to get something out of this match if they want to stay on course for the runners-up spot. This should be a great game to watch.

Under 10 N/R -Div. 3 - Fishburn Park "b" v Redcar Athletic "b" - 12:30pm
A great mini-soccer match in prospect down at Whitby, as Fishburn Park "b" entertain Redcar Athletic "b" in the third division of the Under 10 North Riding age group. Both teams have lost just the one game so far and both are in the hunt for end of season honours. Another match where it's difficult to guess what the final outcome will be, but it should be a classic game for the neutral to go along to.

Some other interesting games this weekend which include:

Under 9 N/R - Div. 1 Boro' Rangers v TIBS FC "a" - 12:30pm
Under 9 N/R - Div. 3 Northallerton Juniors v Guisborough Town - 12:30pm
Under 9 N/R - Div. 3 Redcar Athletic "b" v Great Ayton - 12:30pm
Under 10 Durham - Div. 3 Fishburn Boys v Stockton Rangers - 12:30pm
Under 10 N/R - Div. 1 Marton FC "b" v Marton Hall Drive - 12:30pm
Under 11 - Div. 1 Boro' Rangers v Stockton Town - 11:00am
Under 11 - Div. 4 Guisborough Town v Stokesley FC - 11:00am
Under 11 - Div. 5 Skelton United v Newton Aycliffe Youth "a" - 11:00am
Under 12 - Div. 5 Thornaby on Tees v Cumby Rovers - 11:00am
Under 13 - Div. 3 Richmond Town v Spraire Lads - 11:00am
Under 14 - Div. 5 Trimdon United v Greatham FC "b" - 1:30pm
Under 15 - Div. 2 21st. Allstars "a" v Brompton Juniors - 1:30pm

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