Stokesley stay in the title race

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), May 10, 2006

Birtley Town are still top but could miss out in the race for the championship.

Stokesley SC and Whitehaven have played games in hand and success means they have a very good chance of ending top.

Stokesley moved into second following two wins in three days and are only a couple of points adrift of Birtley, who have played four games more.

They were hard pressed, however, before beating Jarrow by an only goal scored in the 63rd minute by Richard Hore.

The Perth Green side pressed for an equaliser but left the way open at the other end and only the brilliance of goalkeeper Jonathan Carmichael kept them in the game.

He made outstanding saves from Jonathan Newton, James Alsop and Craig Johnson.

Stokesley, however, made no mistake at second-from-bottom Nissan SSC Sunderland on Monday, securing another three crucial points with a 4-0 success. Ben Walker (2), Ross Foreman and Mark Davison (own goal) were the marksmen.

Whitehaven are third, just four points behind Birtley with five games in hand.

They beat Annfield Plain 7-1 as the goals flowed from Craig Robson (2), Carl McGrady (2), Jonathan Wright and Stephen Irvine.

Adam Robson claimed a consolation goal for Plain, who played twice in Cumbria on Saturday to save making a return journey.

It was not a happy day as they also slumped to an 8-0 defeat at Cleator Moor Celtic, for whom Gareth Evans (2), Craig Scott, David Miller, Lee Dunn, Carl Fillingham, Zak Rudd and Glynn Edwards found the target.

Jarrow returned to winning form in Monday's restricted programme when beating New Marske 5-2. Craig Hood rifled a hat-trick with Chris Liddle and Mark Rumbles also penetrating the New Marske defence.

Dale Mendum and Michael Magor replied for the Seasiders, who on Saturday hit Nissan with a 6-0 defeat. Magor (3), Chris Robson, Adam Taylor and Paul Graham were the scorers.

Boldon CA had mixed fortunes, losing 3-1 at Windscale despite leading at the interval courtesy of David Stephenson.

Mark Young (2) and Paul Barwise struck for Windscale before Boldon beat Ryhope CW 3-0 with efforts by Stephenson (2) and Ian Jackson.

Teesside Athletic won both matches by a 1-0 margin. They saw off Willington with a goal from Stephen Hodgson and on Monday James Kesterton was the marksman in the home fixture with Cleator Moor Celtic.

Michael Patterson (3) and Paul Diamond (2) led Ryhope CW to a 5-1 success over Coxhoe Athletic, for whom Andrew Soppitt scored, while Gateshead Low Fell drew their only game 2-2 at Harton and Westoe.

Liam Clark and Simon Johnson were on the mark for Gateshead, with Jonathan Mullen twice finding the net for Harton.