Wearside League

Last updated 19:57, Monday, 21 April 2008

Whitehaven 5 Annfield Plain 1: Whitehaven Amateurs, pursuing their ambitions of playing Northern League football next season, stayed on course.

They easily beat a poor Annfield Plain side 5-1 at the County Ground while their main rivals for second spot Jarrow had their game postponed.

Jarrow are seven points behind the west Cumbrians but do have three games in hand.

If Whitehaven finish second – behind champions-elect New Marske – they will get the chance to move up to the Northern League. Craig Lewis put Whitehaven ahead early on but Stephen Kirkbride grabbed a quick equaliser for Annfield Plain.

But Whitehaven dominated from that point and won with plenty in hand as Darren Donald, Carl McGrady (pen), Malcolm Holliday and Mike Farrer all found the net.

Cleator Moor Celtic have been making steady progress and are up to eighth place with an opportunity to go even higher.

They actually have three games in hand of Whitehaven and are 11 points behind.

Celtic were 3-2 winners at bottom side Silksworth Community in what proved to be a thrilling contest.

Karl Fillingham and Glyn Edwards got Celtic off to a flier before Cameron Marshall pulled one back for the home side.

Fillingham restored Celtic’s two goal advantage with his second goal before Martin Metcalfe set-up an interesting last five minutes with another for Silksworth.

Windscale were on the receiving end again but it was another goal-packed contest. They went down 4-3 at Coxhoe Athletic to remain next to bottom although it was an end-to-end, open contest which could have gone either way.

Ryan Lowery, Mark Young and Mark Hartley scored the goals for Windscale.