Last updated 12:57, Monday, 12 May 2008

Blyth Town 3 Gillford Park 2: Gillford Park are in an end-of-season tussle with neighbours Harraby Catholic Club for the runners-up slot in the Premier Division.

After a narrow 3-2 defeat at Blyth Town they must beat Carlisle City in Wednesday night’s derby by eight clear goals to nudge out their neighbours for second spot behind league champions, Walker Central.

Veteran Steve Walker gave Blyth the lead in the 21st minute when he shot home from close range, but a quick double from leading scorer Lee Otway in the 32nd and 36th minute handed the advantage to the Carlisle based side. That lead only lasted three minutes as some hesitant defending allowed Danny Beresford to lob Martin Clark to restore parity and leave the scores tied at the break.

In the second period, several chances that fell to the Gillford Park strike force were spurned and the visitors were made to pay for those missed chances when Blyth substitute Aaron Hicken shot into an empty net after some more sloppy defending in the 79th minute.

Carlisle City 3 Shankhouse 6

CARLISLE City got off to a flying start against visitors Shankhouse when Ian Cummersky scored from 40 yards in the 5th minute but 10 minutes later Kevin Gustard squared matters. City's Craig Wood hit the post in the 16th minute then Shankhouse replied with goals in the space of eleven minutes through Darren Naylor and Noel Hanlon.

Wood hit the post again in the 35th minute only for Gustard to increase the visitors' lead to 4-1 and then Wood at last found the net on the stroke of half time.

The second half appeared to be ending goal-less but in the final five minutes James Binney and Lee Gustard found the net for the visitors while Paul Gardiner replied for City just before the final whistle.

Harraby CC 6 Ashington Colliers 1

Injuries and suspensions dictated the starting line-up for Harraby’s final game of the campaign and a comprehensive home win keep them on target to clinch the runners-up slot behind Champions Walker Central.

Harraby took the game to Ashington from the off and the first clear chance falling to Roy Holliday but James Debbage in the Colliers goal blocked his effort with Glenn Bolton clearing the loose ball off the line, but seconds later David McCrone’s pass down the left saw Rob Bainbridge run clear to lob Debbage from the angle of the box to open the scoring.

Against the run of play Ashington broke away down the right with Lee Scott’scross come shot being parried by Andy Casson and the loose ball was headed home by David Brown for the equaliser. Harraby regained the lead a minute before the break when McCrone found James Tose in space who then swivelled to hit a left foot volley over the keeper and into the net.

The second period began with as the visitors looked to get on level terms but after 53 minutes Marc Shiel’s cross from the left saw Gary Brown rising to head over the keeper from 12 yards to extend the home sides advantage, and that lead was further increased in the 65th minute when Holliday chased a ball to the bye-line and chipped a cross to the far post for Shiel’s to volley home from close range.

After Debbage had made a great save from a Brown power drive, Holliday then struck Harraby’s fifth when James Earl’s astute pass allowed him to chip the ball over the last defender and volley past the helpless keeper from the edge of the area.

Substitute Luke Wordsworth completed the scoring when he chased a ball down the right and although a defender tackled him the ball broke kindly for him to rifle past the keeper from within the area.

The Bosch Power Tools Challenge Cup Final

Harraby CC 1 Peterlee Town 1 (aet) Harraby won 76 on pens

Beaten finalists five years ago, Harraby Catholic Club were first to settle and had a 7th minute goal disallowed for an infringement by Steve Archibald against Peterlee keeper Patrick Pisani when the strikers knockdown was converted by Marc Shiel.

The game developed into an epic end to end battle as Andy Casson saving twice for Harraby and Rob Bainbridge shooting inches wide at the other end before Harraby made the breakthrough in the 39th minute when Brett Swift’s cross found James Earl making a late run into the box to place his 15-yard shot into the corner of the net to give them a deserved half time lead.

Harraby kept on top in the second period, but were pegged back in the 58th minute when a quick break by Peterlee saw Damien Gee lob over Casson from 20-yards. The Carlisle based side did apply the greater pressure going forward in search of the winner but Pisani foiled Bainbridge and Gary Brown and substitute James Tose hit their shots just wide.

Extra time saw Harraby trying to clinch it but the Town keeper made crucial saves and tired legs saw clear chances missed as the game finished all square and went to penalties.

Peterlee took the first kick with leading scorer Karl Lilley hitting confidently home and this was followed by another 11 well struck kicks with neither keeper having any chance of saving.

Number 13 was to prove unlucky for Peterlee as Paul Callan’s low shot saw Casson dive to his left to save, and this set the scene for young David Wallace to step up and hammer his kick high past Pisani to start the Harraby celebrations winning their first Cup trophy.