North Sunderland close gap on NNL leaders

North Sunderland got off to the best possible start when they were awarded a penalty in the first minute of the game and this was duly scored by Ryan Thompson.

The score stayed at 1-0 til nearing half time when the visitors doubled the advantage through a good finish from Sam Aldred.

The final goal of the game was scored midway through the second half from Man of the Match Max Clark.

A comfortable win for North Sunderland but credit to Amble St Cuthberts for the effort put in by their players.

With Alnmouth United and Lowick United not playing the three teams near them Wooler, Alnwick Town Dev Squad and Craster & Embleton United all took advantage with comfortable wins against teams from lower in the League.

Wooler continued their recent good form with a 5-0 victory away to Bedlington. The first stages of the game were very even with both sides creating chances. Injuries to two key players forced Bedlington into changes early on and this influenced the rest of the game.

Wooler took full advantage of these changes and went 1-0 ahead when Sam Cowen scored from close range after a good run and cross down the right from Tom Allan.

With the score only 1-0 at half time Wooler started the second half on the front foot and it came as no surprise when Luke Strangeways doubled the advantage as he turned a home defender in the box and fired into the bottom corner of the net.

It didn’t take long for the third goal to arrive and unfortunately it came courtesy of a Joe Baker own goal when he connected with a Tom Allan cross and headed into his own goal. The scoring was completed late on when Sam Cowens scored his second and Tom Allan scored an easy header to make it 5-0.

Craster & Embleton United travelled to Ashington and returned 5-0 victors after another comfortable away victory. The travelling side were 3-0 up at the break through goals from Richard Stanwix, Reece Hogg and Evan Muir. The scoring was completed in the second half through Harry Woolhouse and Richard Stanwix with his second.

Alnwick Town Development Squad kept themselves in touch with other teams in midtable with a very mature performance in their 3-0 victory at home to Amble Masons.

Alnwick opened the scoring after 25 minutes when Paul Muir scored with a penalty.

In a game which showed off the young talent playing in the North Northumberland League it was the home side who doubled their lead when Leon Midgely scored on the hour. Both teams continued to create chances, but the scoring was completed on 75 minutes when an Amble Masons player scored an own goal to allow the home side to run out 3-0 winners.

Fixtures for Saturday (Feb 23) are:

Anderson Cup SF (1.30pm KO) - Newbiggin v Alnwick Town Dev; Wooler v Craster & Embleton.

League - Bedlington Seniors v Alnmouth; Amble SC v Ashington Town; North Sunderland v Lowick.