Final Northern League weekend round-up of 2023
With action few-and-far between in another weather-hit weekend in the Northern League, just three games remained in each division.
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Division One’s top two Bishop Auckland and Shildon were out of action, allowing an opportunity for West Auckland Town to close the gap on the league leaders to just two points opened up – but an in-form Guisborough Town stood in their way in impressive fashion.
A red card for West’s Gary Brown with a little over quarter of an hour played didn’t help matters, as goals from Matthew Timon and James Frazer sent Guisborough into the break with a two-goal advantage before Benjamin Cummins topped off the win late on.
Boro Rangers stretched their unbeaten run to six in all competitions as they put four past Northallerton Town in an early kick-off yesterday, further closing the gap on the leading pack.
A Stuart Rose hat-trick in five first half minutes put Boro far into the ascendancy, before Callum Hickman grabbed the home side’s fourth with less than half an hour to go to put the hosts out of reach.
The win sees Rangers go six points clear of sixth placed Whitley Bay, who made their journey home from Cumbria with zero points – with an injury time header proving to be too little too late.
Conor Hammell and Robbie Hebson both found the back of the net for Penrith, who recorded a win which opened up even more daylight between the sides at the bottom, before Mark Davison headed back late on for The Bay for what proved to be little more than a consolation.
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The Second Division will end the calendar year with the top two tied on points. An explosive start at a chilly Ford Quarry saw Bedlington Terriers burst into an early lead against Sunderland West End.
Joe Thompson bagged himself a brace for the visitors to kick off proceedings, before Matthew Nelson capitalised on a defensive break to briefly stretch the lead to three before Charlie Upperton pulled one back for West End.
Ben Franklin’s second half header wrapped up the three points for the now tied on points at the top Terriers.
Their gap to Newcastle Blue Star has now opened up to five points thanks to a five-star performance from Easington Colliery. A hat-trick from Marty Weirs added to by a Luke Pearn brace completed a memorable day for Easington, as the Green Army march into sixth-place.
The final game of the day saw Prudhoe YC Seniors miss their chance to move into the top half of the table as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Thornaby.
