By Groundhopper

 The Torrential Downpour of Rainon Sunday Put paid to a Lot Of Fixtures in the League , Waterlogged Pitches were the Order of the Day, The Games At Ferryhill Wmc , Fatfield Biddick Inn ,Washington  Jfc , Pittington  Fc, Hamsteels Inn  , Washington Usworth Top Club  ,Langley Park  Rams Head And Oxclose  Ox And Plough Were Off Due To Bad Weather. Games at Chester Osborne Wmc and Washington   Colliery were started but abandoned Due to Waterlogged Pitches as were .games at Houghton Glendale Social, Esh Winning Cricket Club and West Rainton , Credit must be given to the Clubs who did get their Games On.

In the Third Round Of the Alan Smith Memorial Trophy Chester Easy Street from the Leagues 4th Division entertained  Burnmoor Cricket Club from the Premier Division. With the rain lashing down and the condition of the pitch sure to get worse, Chester Easystreet kicked off the game against their Premier League opponents. It was Easy Street who definitely had the best of the first half but really did lack that killer touch in front of goal with Paul Corlett, Stephen Wood, Davison and Craig Mickle unable to beat the Burnmoor keeper with their efforts. A stroke of luck was needed for Easy street’s first goal as Craig Mickles shot took a wicked deflection off the Burnmoor defender and spun into the bottom right corner Just before Half time. With the conditions easing up Easy Street continued to build in the second half and doubled their lead not long after the restart. Woods cross from the left was pinpoint as Mark Peck stole in at the near post to poke the ball home. Anthony Davison then added a Further Goal for Easy Street by unleashing an unstoppable drive from the left, with the ball flying across the keeper and into the top right hand corner. With victory almost a certainty, Easy Street took their foot off the gas and allowed Burnmoor the chance to get back into the game. But their hopes were dashed when Paul  Corlett swivelled to lash the ball home with his right foot from the edge of the box.  To make it a Fine 4-0 home win for the 4th Division Outfit.
 
In the Same  Trophy 3rd Round premier division club Sedgefield St Edmunds travelled to first division Washington Arms and were made to work really hard to earn a 1-2 victory with the winner coming late in the period of extra time. In atrocious conditions both teams and referee Keith Hunter are to be congratulated on putting in a fine performance that epitomised all that is good about Sunday League football. The game started well for the Washington Arms who despite having the best of the play go into the half time break a goal down, a powerful Edward Johnson header doing the damage. Danny Murray guides a near post Craig Smith cross into the net to bring the Arms level on the sixty minute mark. In an intriguing battle with both teams searching for a winner in normal time chances are squandered at both ends, Sedgefield believe they have scored the winner from a corner on the stroke of full time however referee Hunter had blown for full time before the ball had been scrambled into the Arms goal. In extra time both teams work really hard to gain the advantage and just when it looks like the game is going into a penalty shoot out John Cooks grabs the all important winner for Sedgfield St Edmunds.

In the Deerness Driveways Trophy Sedgefield Net Park produced a Fine performance over visitors Hetton Social to Progress to the Next round Net Park winning 4-2 Thanks to Goals from Kevin Broom, Steven Bagshaw and Two fine strikes from Stephen Turland           
In the Spennymoor Town League Cup 3rd Round Newton Aycliffe wmc were 6-2 Home winners over Sacriston Wmc            
In the Premier Division, The Game at Sacriston Cricket Club who entertained Burnside Wmc started in torrential rain the scoreline was only 1-0 at half time to the Cricket Club on15 min - Chris Yates fired home from 18 yards out with a superb right foot goal, following a through-ball from Rob Draper. 2 mins into the 2nd half  the Cricketers went Further  ahead Gary Draper scored from 25 yards with an excellent right footed shot On 50 min Rob Draper supplied the through-ball, and Chris Yates found the net from just inside the box with a well-finished right footed effort. Burnside then got there goal when a good move down the left resulted in a goal from a cross which the Cricketers rookie goalkeeper Ricky Gibson had no chance with. The Cricketers increased their Lead in the 57 min a ball from Stuart Fenton led to a goalmouth scramble. Danny Petts made no mistake with a textbook right footed finish from close range. Then 3 Mins Later A well delivered through-ball from Graham Embleton was converted by Rob Draper. A first-class finish with the head from close range. In the 82 min Rob Draper supplied the cross, and Matty Bennett found the net from just inside the box with a superb right footed effort. To make It 6-1 to the Cricketers then On 85 min a flurry of activity in the area led to an opposition error. Gary Draper took advantage by scoring a clinical right footed goal from 18 yards out. To Give the Cricketers a Fine 7-1 Home win. In the Other Game played in the Division Brandon Bay Horse were 4-0 Home winners over Pelton Roab

In the second Division Ushaw Moor Cricket Club were 2-0 Home winners Over Pelton Fc, Sherburn Lambton Arms Travelled to Bishop Middleham Cross Keys and Returned Home 6-4 Winners. Durham Bede Lodge Returned to winning ways with a Hard Fought 3-2 Home win over Washington Lambton Village . Chester Plough Inn were 6-3 Winners at Sedgefield Black Lion.
In the Third Division the Only Two Game That were Played Bowburn Cooperage were 6-1 Home winners Over Pelaw Grange Dogs and Houghton Chilton Lodge Crashed to a 8-3 Defeat at Washington Victoria . 

Houghton Chilton Lodge Fc
In the Fourth Division, in very difficult conditions both teams contributed to a decent game which ebbed and flowed throughout.Witton went in front after 15 minutes with a close range header by David Callcutt after good work on the right by Ben Sanderson.
Ferryhill hit back 10 minutes later when their striker gained a fortuitous rebound from the advancing Potts to easily score and then went in front with a fierce drive from 22 yards following a long ball over the top of the Witton defence. That remained the score at half time but 10 minutes into the second half with Cleckner introduced at the back releasing Scott Embleton up front things started to change and Witton began to dominate the game.The equaliser quickly followed from Embleton with a neat finish from just inside the box and after 63 minutes they were in front with a near post header from the impressive Peter Maughan.Witton added a fourth to cement their superiority through Ian Renwick after good work from Sanderson and Embleton and Scott Embleton rounded off a good personal performance with his 2nd and Witton’s 5th to seal an impressive win. A great 7-2 win for Leonard’s on what was very bad playing conditions away at Framwellgate Moor Wmc. On 5 min Josh Fryer supplied the cross, and Will Newell found the net from six yards out with a clinical left footed effort. Half time 1-1 In the second Half Leonard’s went further ahead in the 50 min Joey Nichol supplied the pass, and Andrew Clarkson found the net from outside the area with a truly memorable right footed effort. Then 5 Mins Later Will Newell fired home from close range with a clinical right foot goal, following a cross from Steven Dixon. On 60 Mins A textbook left footed finish from six yards out by Joey Nichol, following a goalmouth scramble. Josh Fryer claimed an assist. On 65 min a well delivered through-ball from Joshua Scott was converted by Andrew Clarkson. A first-class finish with the right foot from 14 yards out. Leonard’s made It 6-2 in the 80 min Steven Dixon fired home from 10 yards out with a well-finished right foot goal, following a top class through-ball from Joey Nichol. And In the Last Minute of the Game Some good work from Joshua Scott led to a goalmouth scramble. Josh Fryer took advantage by scoring a clinical left footed goal from close range. To Make It Framwellgate Moor Wmc 2 Chester Leonard’s 7. New Durham Wmc Travelled to Neville’s Cross Social after a Pitch Inspection the Game went ahead. New Durham Struck Twice In The First Half, A  Fine Andrew Chester Header And A Nicholas Marley Volley ,Neville’s Cross Keeper Pulled Of A String Of Saves, To Keep Them In The Game ,The Second Saw  Neville’s Cross Keeper, Pull Of Two Great Saves, But Credit To Both Sides For A Good Game Of Football, Considering The Conditions.