Football
Wear Valley Sunday League
GAINFORD Cross Keys produced an almighty second half comeback to win an amazing game against Darlington Grey Horse 7-6.
The hosts were trailing 5-2 at the interval as Grey Horse raced to an early 2-0 lead and continued to dominate.
George Taylor and Alan Haycock scored Gainford’s first half goals to keep the side in with a glimmer of hope.
But it was Ben Moore’s second half hat-trick that really turned the game as he scored two of four goals in a crazy six-minute spell just after the restart and added his third and what turned out to be the winner in the 84th minute.
The other Gainford scorers were John Hindle and Adam Peart.
Elsewhere, Toft Hill Three Tuns suffered a 4-1 reverse at home to Darlington Rolling Mills and Middleton Wanderers were edged out 3-2 at Richmond Town, despite leading 2-1 at the break.
Staindrop’s game at home to league leaders Crook Town fell victim to the weather.
Wearside Football League
IT was a disappointing result for Barnard Castle at the weekend as they were knocked out of the Washington Aged People’s Trophy after a lacklustre 3-0 defeat at Consett AFC Reserves.
Consett were much the better side throughout against a Barney side that was missing many of their star protagonists.
With at least five regular first team starters unavailable, Barney were unable to play any free-flowing football and were limited to scraps.
They went into the break 2-0 down having had only one good chance that Rob Dixon was unable to convert.
The second half was much of the same with the home side having the majority of the possession.
Consett sealed the match with a third goal on the 80-minute mark.
Barney return to league action next weekend when they host Sunderland RCA Reserves at the Tens Field, 2pm kick off.
Crook and District League
HOWDEN Australian entertained Evenwood in the Auckland Charity Cup and the visitors took a first half lead. Ashley Fenwick equalised with a great strike from distance to make it 1-1 at half time.
Howden suffered a blow when Lucas Baker went off with a suspected broken metatarsal. Evenwood got on top to open up a 3-1 lead though Riley Spedding reduced the deficit to 3-2 five minutes from time.
Ebac Northern League
WEST Auckland returned to winning ways last Wednesday with a 2-1 win on the road at Boro Rangers.
The hosts took an early lead before Will Constantin levelled on 23 minutes.
Four minutes into the second half, James Harrison put West ahead and they held onto the lead.
Saturday’s game against Tow Law Town was postponed due to the weather.
Friday night football returns to the Wanted Stadium this week (November 3) when West host Whickham in the league.
Kick off is 7.30pm.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
