Ponteland United sub Harry Tulip has a great knack of finding the net at vital moments – and he didn’t disappoint with a winner that put Pont top of the Premier Division on goal difference.

Tulip raced through and drilled confidently into the net.in the 77th minute of a thrilling seven goal encounter with basement side Murton.

Karl Garside shot Murton ahead from the penalty spot in the tenth minute and just sixty seconds later Gavin Nesbitt raced fired over the stranded keeper into the roof of the net from 20 yards for number two.

Andrew Davidson volleyed in to pull one back but Murton, who have impressed in recent weeks, saw Paul Wintrip tuck away a third.

Pont didn’t hit the panic button and Glen Ford thumped the woodwork before John Dunn’s back post header got them back in it. Five minutes before the break Richard Kent equalised from a Davidson cross.

Davidson winced as Murton keeper Aiden Vout saved his second half penalty but Tulip spared his blushes with the winner.

Alnwick Town’s unbeaten run is now up to 17 games but they lost a bit of ground as they were held to a 2-2 draw by third-placed Carlisle City.

Tom Vickers took just two minutes to open the scoring for Town but City’s Steven Rooke fired home just two minutes later. With both sides playing attractive football, Gary Patterson’s 24th minute goal put Alnwick back in front and Carl Murphy levelled after the break.

Reigning Champions Harraby almost opened the scoring against Shankhouse when Sergio Royo’s in-swinging corner from the right was headed off the line, but they were celebrating the first when Daniel Balmer cut in to strike a low drive from the corner of the box through the crowded area and into the far corner of the net on 38 minutes.

Harraby doubled their lead two minutes later when a delightful Royo pass sent Ryan Errington clear through the middle to lob over Martin Coleman into the net from 20 yards to give the home side a deserved two goal lead at the break.

Coleman made fantastic saves to keep out Errington, Balmer, Brett Swift and Archibald while Simon Tucker beat the keeper but the ball smashed back off the post.

Shankhouse’s Chris Rue flashed a volley across goal across goal and wide before a moment of madness in the Harraby defence gifted them a lifeline.

Michael Bell capitalised and shot gleefully into the empty net when a harmless looking long ball forward causing a mix - up and Shankhouse almost squared things up when the unmarked Anthony Moran powered three-yard downward header that Jordan English saved superbly.

They did equalise with five minutes to go as a corner was only cleared to the edge of the box where Daniel Chambers hit a stunning half volley into the top corner of the net.

Stocksfield’s Wayne Stewart shot them in front at Percy Main Amateurs but sub Michael Bowman went around the keeper and fired into the empty net to level and it also finished all-square at Gateshead Rutherford who had David Loughlin and Joseph Hindmarsh on target while Stephen Howes and Paul Hodge replied for Seaton Delaval Amateurs.

Kevin Grahamslaw and Craig Harley’s fired in after the break for Killingworth Sporting as they took the points at Ashington Colliers and Cramlington Town raced into a two-goal first half lead at Blyth Town with efforts from Dan Neary and Kieran Parsons.

But when they were reduced to ten men just after the break, Blyth took full advantage with Jonny Mann, Tom Haigh, Jeff Fuller and Neil Blades hitting the net.

Heaton Stannington were also reduced to ten men in the NFA Senior Benevolent Bowl as Walker Central won a physical affair 2-0 with goals from Grant Kershaw and Ryan Monaghan.

Goals from Ian Lee, Dean Porter, Darren Reay and Gav Hattrick put Whitley Bay A into the final of the Northumberland FA Minor Cup as the Seahorses cruised past fellow Division One side Forest Hall.

Tyneside Amateur League Division Two’s Blyth Isabella put the skids on an all-Alliance final with a surprise 1-0 victory at Gosforth Bohemian the other semi.

Hebburn Reyrolle thumped six past North Shields Athletic as they maintained top spot in Division One with Channon North grabbing two and Dan Gray, Ray Oshin, Peter Bryson and Dan Mattews the others while James Cowx and Dean Bolam were on the scoresheet for Athletic.

Josh Hay was the hat-trick hero for Amble United as they thumped Berwick United Ultras 5-0. Hay struck the opener in the 15th minute and Ross Gair made it two after the break. The wheels fell off for Berwick in the last ten minutes as Hay added two more and Stephen Gibbard the fifth.

Wallington’s Justin Milligan (2), Jordan Nellis and Mark Jewitt were on target in an emphatic 4-1 derby win at Morpeth Sports Club and Heddon’s Jordan Carling and Steven Sattersthwaite netted in a 2-1 win over Stobswood Welfare. David King got the consolation.

Cullercoats’ Dave Fairless, Stuart Wright and Graham Allen were their marksmen in a 3-0 win over South Shields United, while Kurran Dhugga scored for Newcastle University in a 1-1 draw with Peterlee Town

Newcastle Chemfica Independent’s scorers were Phil Bone, Steve McLaughlin, Alex Tooley and Gareth Davies as they won 4-2 at Swalwell to go top of Division Two.

Mark Fitzpatrick and David Fitzpatrick replied for Swalwell.

Goals from Ryan Arnott and Gary Hall were not enough for Wallsend Town as they went down 3-2 at home to Seaton Burn while Simonside SC were victorious a nine-goal thriller at home to Willington Quay Saints.
Steven Graham hit two with Sean Flood, Ben Cooper and Kyle Riley all getting in on the act while Glen Johnson and Mark Henderson both scored doubles for Willington in a tremendous game.
Tynemouth United’s Lee Garwood netted twice and Aaron Chambers added the other as they won 3-0 at Cullercoats CP while Wallsend Boys Club’s Gary Shaw and Chris Murphy scored in their 2-0 win over struggling Cramlington United. Boys Club also hit the woodwork six times.

Neil Tiffin netted from the penalty spot for Hexham against Whitley Bay Town but they were pegged back when Mattie Guthrie levelled after the break and Red House Farm thumped basement side Wideopen & District 5-1.
Northbank cruised into the semi-finals of the Cumberland Senior Cup with goals from Luke Barwick and Andy Rogerson (2) as they saw off Eden Thistle, who had caused a major shock in dumping out Harraby in the previous round.

Jon Tait

There was drama at both ends of the Premier League table on a day when the goals were raining in.

Cramlington Town got themselves off the foot of the table with a 6-1 demolition of Stocksfield while leaders Alnwick Town scored three goals in the final ten minutes to salvage an unlikely point at Killingworth Sporting.

Stocksfield were looking to move further clear of the relegation zone and got off to a good start as Steve Foster shot them ahead in the 20th minute.

But Cristen Priest fired in the equaliser from 20 yards and Chris Bond took advantage of a goalmouth scramble to net number two from close range.

Dan Nearey turned and hit a low shot into the corner of the net for the third before Bond was again on target for the fourth.

Town were in dreamland when Kieran Parsons followed up his own parried shot to make it five and Kevin Long cut in from the right wing and placed the ball in the far corner to complete the devastation.

Alnwick Town were left shell-shocked as goals from Paul Dunn and Jorge Vollabio put Killingworth 2-0 up within four minutes of the kick-off.

Although Ben Keenan pulled one back in the 15th minute with a penalty, a deflected shot from Dunn and a Jay McAnespie goal in the 76th minute put them 4-1 down and their unbeaten record looked as though it was about to be smashed.

However, late goals from Chris Moffat, Gary Bailes and Scott McMullan completed an amazing comeback.

But Ponteland United are now just two points behind Town in second spot as they recorded a 4-0 win at Shankhouse with Andrew Davidson, Gavin Wood an own-goal and Sean Willis the scorers. Shankhouse had a player dismissed at 2-0.

Carlisle City recovered from Kevin Hay’s headed opener for Gateshead Rutherford as they came back to win 3-2.

Olly Driver (2) and a Karl Murphy penalty put the Cumbrians in charge, while David Loughlin added a second for Rutherford late on.

Blyth Town blooded two youngsters who have made the move up from their Junior set-up and they impressed in the 2-0 success over Percy Main Amateurs.

Jack Donnison was superb throughout and his old youth team mate Kyle Devlin looked promising as he came on from the bench as goals from Chris Lyle (55) and Dan Beresford (80) settled it and Murton slumped to the bottom of the table as they went down 1-0 at home to Seaton Delaval Amateurs, Steve Addison’s fifth minute strike proving the only goal of the game.

Ashington Colliers sent Wark crashing out the Kicks Leisure George Dobbins League Cup with a stunning 7-4 victory.

Gareth Bainbridge netted a hat-trick for the Colliers with Simon Cunningham (2) Paul Dunn and Joe Moscrop were all on target for Ashington with Wark’s replies coming from Tony Lancaster (3) and Thomas McAlindon.
In Division One, goals from Chris Moffat, Ben Haddick and Paul Thompson kept Heddon in third spot as they won 3-1 at Newcastle East End. Derek Lowson was on target for East End.
Berwick United Ultras are up to fifth after a 3-1 victory over Cullercoats.

Stuart Wright, Kieran Lafferty and Martin Cornish hit the net for the Borderers with Craig Deighton on the scoresheet for the visitors while Newcastle University’s George Coyle scored the only goal of the game as they took the three points from a closely-contested game at Wallington.

Forest Hall were sent crashing out of the Pin Point Recruitment Charity Cup after extra time by Second Division Simonside SC.

Alan Kelly scored for Forest Hall and Shaun Edwards netted for Simonside as the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. Craig Lumley and Ben Cooper scored the extra-time goals that put Simonside into the third round.

Gosforth Bohemian went through as they beat Division Two’s Swalwell 4-0. Ian Harris scored a hat-trick and Pete Gasden added the other.

Wallsend Town’s Gary Hall netted a double as they beat Tynemouth United 3-3 to stay on top of Division Two.

Hall had Sean Reid scored to put Town in control, but Steve Matthew fired in two penalties to level things up for United, who were reduced to ten men. Hall grabbed a last minute winner.

Goals from Steve McLaughlin and Gareth Davies gave Newcastle Chemfica Independent a 2-0 win at Northbank while Wallsend Boys Club were beaten 3-2 at home to Red House Farm.

Goals from Shaun Forster, Robert Nolan and Martin Soulsby put Red House 3-0 up at the break and although Boys Club hit back with a Gaz Shaw double, it just wasn’t enough.

Matty Guthrie’s 65th minute saw Whitley Bay Town beat Cramlington United and bottom side Wideopen & District went down 2-1 at home to Cullercoats Custom Planet. Mark Grant scored for Wideopen, but replies from Mark Wilkinson and G. Hall saw them slump to their tenth defeat of the season.

Stuart Taylor, Sean Barker and Ian Armstrong scored for Seaton Burn in a 3-1 win at Willington Quay Saints with Gareth Pugh on target for the consolation.

Jon Tait

Andrew Davidson netted a double in a 4-1 over Murton that moved Ponteland United back to within four points of Premier leaders Alnwick Town.

Davidson opened his account in the first minute with a superb 25-yard chip and although Gavin Nesbitt levelled for the struggling second-bottom vistors in the 35th minute, Davidson was handily placed to shoot the black and whites back in front on the hour.

Further goals from John Dunn on 65 and Sean Willis on 75 kept up the pressure on Alnwick at the top.

Reigning Champions Harraby CC are up to fourth after a 5-1 demolition of sixth-placed Blyth Town.

Sergio Royo lashed in a low shot from 20 yards for the opener in the 18th minute and although Blyth got themselves back into it in the 33rd minute when Thomas Haigh hit a low shot inside the post, it took just four minutes for Harraby to hit back as Marc Shiel looped in a header.

An unlucky Town defender slid to poke a Dan Balmer cross into his own net just before half time and Shiel side-footed in number four from 10 yards in the 74th minute.
New Harraby signing Ryan Errington was sent tumbling in the box in stoppage time and Mike Swift stepped up to smash the spot kick into the roof of the net.

The result takes Harraby to within two points of local rivals Carlisle City in third, and they were left kicking themselves as they went down 3-1 at Seaton Delaval Amateurs. Robbie Kilgour shot the Cumbrians ahead in the 25th minute but Delaval’s Michael Fenwick equalised in the 59th minute. Fenwick scored his second ten minutes later and Craig Johnson added the third in the 83rd minute. Both sides finished the game with ten men as Delaval’s Jordan Fry and City’s Gareth Hollins were sent off.

Premier Division Stocksfield eased into the semi finals of the Pin Point Recruitment Charity Cup with a 4-0 success over Second Division Cullercoats Custom Planet.
Although the visitors hit the woodwork early on, Steve Forster’s 26th minute volley put Stocksfield in charge.

Jamie Sharkey fired into the net from close range and Foster’s deflected shot effectively killed off the tie right on half time, with sub Eddie Brazier adding number four in the 69th minute.
In the only league game from both Divisions One and Two to beat the weather, Morpeth Sports Club’s Jonathon Harland was on target in a 1-1 draw with Peterlee Town.

Gavin Hattrick’s goal put Whitley Bay A into the semi finals of the Northumberland FA Minor Cup as they beat Blyth Spartans A 1-0. The Seahorses will now face fellow Division One side Forest Hall for a place in the final while Gosforth Bohemian have been drawn at home to Blyth Isabella in the other semi.

Mark Fitzpatrick and Joe Johnson hit two each for Swalwall as they beat Whitley Bay Town 4-1 to go into the Pin Point Recruitment Amateur Cup final. Paulo Black grabbed Town’s consolation.
The weather decimated the rest of the fixtures list with officials squelching through pools of water to call off a total of seventeen Northern Alliance fixtures.

Jon Tait