by groundhopper
 
In the D & P Trophies Knockout Cup 1st Round Pelaw Grange Dogs entertained High Flying Pelton Fc,  after an inspection of the pitch referee Peter. Fletcher indicated the game was on. After only a few minutes Eddie Shanks scored a well taken goal for Pelaw Grange Dogs Fc after they Pelton had held them back for the first few minutes but within minutes had levelled the game at 1-1.  After around 30 minutes Pelaw again took the lead but this time via David Donnelly to make it 2-1 however Pelton had a goal mouth scrabble to score to make it 2-2 at the interval. Both sides headed to the Comfort and warmth of the Changing rooms at Half Time, the second half started with  Pelton making a  couple of substitutions and the game swung back and forth with neither side being able to find the net. Then David Elders robbed a Pelton player who seemed to just stop and put a great through ball splitting Peltons defence and leaving Chris Hawkins to take the ball past their keeper. It looked to be all over with 20 minutes to go as David Elders put another through ball  to the forwards and Pelaw went 4-2 to up from a deflected own goal. David Fleming hit the post with a great effort for it to bounce off it for a goal kick and their keeper early on the second half nearly scored from a kick from goal. With 10 minutes left though David Donnelly was alleged to handle the ball in the box and Pelton gratefully tucked the ball away to make it 4-3 to Pelaw Grange Dogs. Although Pelton pressed hard for an equaliser Pelaws defence worked equally as hard to keep the game at 4-3 and were well deserved their win. In the torrential rain both teams played some good football with very few problems for referee Peter Fletcher to deal with who had a very good game.  Chester-le-Street Plough Inn had a home game after being on their travels for the last 8 games. Third division high flyers Washington Usworth Top Club were providing the opposition in the 1st Round of The D & P Trophies Knockout Cup. With not a puddle in sight and a quick inspection from the referee the pitch was deemed as playable The extreme weather conditions were horrendous for both sides and in the early stages of the game both teams seemed to cancel each other out. The home side were a little sloppy in their opening play and gave away possession, however Usworth Top Club failed to any advantage. The away side thought they had grabbed the lead in the 20th minute when they were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. The Top Club player curled the free kick round the wall but Plough Inn goalkeeper Jon Witherspoon managed to get a hand to it and tip the ball round the post. This seemed to waken the home side up and now started to play some neat attractive football, with Joel Baddams and John Forster causing problems down the flanks. The Plough Inn had now started to create several chances with Daniel Hill Going Close with a Curled Effort. The Home Side Did Get The Breakthrough In The 37th Minute When Ben Lloyd Picked The Ball Up From 30 Yards Out And Struck A Shot Straight At The Goalkeeper Who Managed To Fumble The Ball Under His Body And Over The Line. This Was A Deserved Lead On The Balance Of Play And The Home Side Now Were Looking To Kick On From Here. Only Moments Later They Did Double Their Lead With Some Neat Play From John Forster On The Right Who Supplied A Wonderful Cross For Joel Baddams To Make No Mistake From Six Yards Out. The Home Side Were Now Enjoying A Great Spell Of Pressure And Took Advantage Of Some Hesitancy In The Usworth Defence To Increase Their Lead Further. Ben Lloyd Was The Creator This Time, Providing A Great Through Ball For Chris Cuthbertson To Get There Before The Goalkeeper And Bundle The Ball Over The Line. This Gave the Plough a 3-0 Half time lead. The second half started very slowly for the home side as Usworth applied a bit of pressure. Now playing with the wind and the rain on their backs, they pushed the home defence back in the early period. The Plough were giving the ball away a little too often early on but soon got their grips on the game. The home side started to get the ball down on the surface and keep the ball moving, stretching Usworth. The killer goal came in the 53rd when John Forster played another superb through ball for Daniel Hill to run onto from his own half giving him a one on one with the goalkeeper and he made no mistakes, slotting the ball past the keeper. Usworth scored a Goal when on of their Forwards picked the ball up from 40 yards out and hit a speculative effort in the air towards goal, which Plough goalkeeper John Witherspoon managed to slightly jump and force the ball down and into the net! With the wind and the rain now getting stronger by the minute The Plough managed to pick themselves up and start again. This proved to be the only blip in the game as the defence stood strong to any encounter from Usworth. The game was all wrapped up in the 75th minute with a fantastic bit of play from top Goals corer Daniel Hill. John Forster was once again involved supplying a good ball down the line, for Hill to turn his man inside out before driving the ball past the away keeper. There was one final glorious chance late on in the game when Daniel Hill broke through and even though he was on his hat-trick unselfishly played in Tony Daglish who could only hit a tame shot straight at the keeper. The poor effort frustrated Daniel Hill as he had a clear sight on goal to complete his hat trick but fair play to him as he put the team first. Final score 5-1 to the Plough. In the same Competition Kelloe Davy Lamp were 5-3 winners at West Rainton.

The JD Taxis Trophy Game between New Durham Wmc and Washington Jfk was abandoned at Half time with Washington leading 1-0, The Pitch deemed to be Unplayable.Sherburn Lambton Arms did get their game on and were 3-2 winners over Visitors Framwellgate Moor Wmc.The Big Chester le Street derby Between the Osborne and Hilda Park also was cancelled due to the weather.

The Ramside Hall Hotel Cup Game at Sacriston Cricket Club, between the Cricketers and visitors Newton Aycliffe Wmc finished 3-3 at 90 Mins But the worsening weather prevented the extra Time from being played.

In the Deerness Trophies Competition the Game at Ferryhill between the White Horse and Houghton Chilton Lodge was Cancelled, Washington Colliery Did get their game on but were beaten 3-2 By Framwellgate Moor Salutation.

In the Third Round of the Alan Smith Trophy Gilesgate Moor Hotel were 3-0 winners at Lumley Fc.

In the Only Premiership Game  Burnmoor Cricket Club entertained Burnside wmc In the 30 Min Paul Taylor fired home from 18 yards out with a well-finished right foot goal, following a through-ball from Will Caris. To Put the Home side 1-0 Up Then on 65 min a flurry of activity in the area led to an opposition error. Paul Taylor took advantage by scoring a well-finished right footed goal from 18 yards out. Then on 80 Mins Burnmoor Increased their Lead some good work from Will Caris led to a goalmouth scramble. Lee Smith took advantage by scoring a well-finished right footed goal from close range. To Give Burnmoor a comfortable 3-0 Home win.

In pouring rain and a driving cross wind Washington Arms and Esh Wining Cricket Club defied the conditions to complete the Division One game. Esh Winning initially handle the conditions best and through continuous pressure forced the Arms into concede ding an own goal on the twenty minute mark. As the Arms come to terms with the atrocious weather chances started to come there way. Five minutes before half time Danny Murray heads in the equaliser from an inch perfect Danny Noble cross. Three minutes later a fine individual effort from Carlo Barrass gives the Arms a two – one half time lead. In the second half Esh Winning pushed forward in search of an equaliser, a long range  Craig Dean effort goes close for the Cricketers, the Arms Forwards Looked to punish the Cricketers  from breakaways. In a ten minute spell the Arms added three more goals, Darren Green back heads a near post cross over the out-stretched arms of the keeper, and Craig Smith finishes off the move of the game following great work down the left from Steve Crame and Danny Murray. Darren Green brings the scoring to an end with his second of the game. Waterhouses were 2-1 winners at Birtley Board Inn and the Game at Fatfield between the Biddick Inn and Sacriston Wmc fell foul of the weather.

In the second Division Durham Bede Lodge were comfortable 6-0 winners over Bishop Middleham Cross Keys, Sedgefield Black Lion and Visitors The Steelers shared the Points In a 1-1 Draw, Chilton’s Home Game with Pittington was off due to a Waterlogged Pitch and Coxhoe were 3-0 up after 65 Mins against visitors Ushaw Moor Cricket Club when the ref abandoned the Game due to the Pitch becoming unplayable.

In the Third Division Hetton Social Travelled to Washington Victoria the Victoria lined up with a strong starting 11 and really took the game to Hetton getting in their faces and making it difficult for them to work the ball. In all fairness they do have lads who can play decent football and on occasion they did it. The midfield was a battlefield but Steven Talbot excelled with a MOTM performance, grabbing a hat-trick in the first half and adding another in the second. Mark Liddle got a brace and Paul Kindon got one to give the Victoria a 7-1 win. Hetton’s goal came from a penalty after Darren Stanley was penalised for being stamped on by their player and the Hetton player tucked it away in the bottom corner. The Game at Hamsteels between the Home side and East Rainton was Cancelled again a Waterlogged Pitch, Sedgefield Net Park Travelled to Ferryhill to play the Dynamos and were very Successful in a Fine 5-1 away Win. Low Fell Gold Medal were 6-3 winners at Shadforth Plough Inn.

In the Fourth Division  Witton Gilbert Wmc entertained Durham Garden House, Both teams should be congratulated for putting on an entertaining game in atrocious conditions with driving rain and hail throughout the game. A special mention should also go to the referee Dennis Matuszek who handled everything very well and did not let the adverse conditions affect his judgement at all.Witton started the game well and were in front after 15 minutes when a great cross from Barrie Allport was headed home at the far post by Scott Emmerson.The second goal was not long in coming with Witton dominating proceedings and Peter Maughan got on the score sheet with a good header to make it 2-0.Garden House hit back with a rare effort against the wind in the first half to make it 2-1 after 38 minutes but Witton hit back almost immediately when Scott Embleton broke free down the right to return the favour with Barrie Allport who converted the cross with great calmness to beat the keeper from 6 yards. The second half was a little different with Garden House having a stronger wind and hail at their backs they got much more possession and battled very well to get the scores back level.Witton came back again with a determined effort and got their noses in front once more when Scott Embleton got his second when he scrambled home a ball from close range with 18 minutes remaining. The goals were not finished yet and Barrie Allport made it 5-3 with his second, a good strike from 18 yards which the keeper could get nowhere near. Peter Maughan then got his second when he followed up on a save from the keeper. Garden House got their 4th just before time to finish an entertaining game 6-4 to the hosts. Langley Park Rams Head were beaten 4-2 at Ox close Ox and Plough; High Handenhold Bird Inn beat Nevilles Cross Social 8-1 . Chester Leonard’s were 1-0 Home winners over Quarrington Hill Wmc.