Beckett football league round-up (From Gazette & Herald)

Beckett football league round-up

2:51pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in Sport

SINNINGTON took a grip on the newitts.com Beckett League division one title race after going three points clear of second-placed Union Rovers at the top, with a game in hand too.

Sinnington edged fifth-placed Bagby & Balk 1-0 on Saturday, thanks to Robbie Preston’s 75th-minute winner.

Both sides had had chances, with both goalkeepers, Tommy Hunter for Bagby and Mark Langdale for the Sinners, making vital saves.

The very last kick of the game saw Bagby’s Rob Parker hit the outside of a post.

The men of the match in a fine contest were Sinnington defender Rob Atkinson and Bagby left-back Mark Pearce.

Union Rovers lost ground when needing a late penalty to draw 2-2 with Kirkbymoorside reserves.

Kirkby, for whom centre-back Andrew Hodgson starred, twice led, through Jason Brown and Lee Nesfield, but Rovers found equalisers through Dean Sleightholme and man-of-the-match midfielder Daryl Craggs, the latter from the spot two minutes from time.

Gillamoor won 5-1 at a weakened Duncombe Park, who had to thank a man-of-the-match performance from goalkeeper Pete Rodgers for keeping the score down.

Lee Alexander scored the only goal of an even first half but then Gills surged 4-0 up through Luke McClaren, Josh Tateson and Luke Tateson. Jonny Nichson replied for Park but substitute Jack Dowson sealed Gillamoor’s win.

Captain David Gardner shone in Gillamoor's defence.

Thornton-le-Dale were worthy 5-2 winners at Norton United.

Two David Elliott goals, either side of a Luke Hobbs penalty, had Dale 3-1 ahead at half-time, Joe Witty having bagged an equaliser for Norton.

Man-of-the-match Elliott completed his hat-trick after 55 minutes, with Hobbs then scoring his second penalty after Simon King was brought down, before Adam Hymas pulled one back for Norton after 64 minutes.

Defender David Wilson was Norton’s man of the match.

Union Rovers consolidated second place in division two with a 7-1 win at Thornton-le-Dale reserves.

The Union goalscorers were man-of-the-match Ashley Cooke (2), Phil Smith (2), Grant Stephens, Richard Abbey and Luke Dawson. Harry Kenworthy scored for Thornton, for whom Martin Piercy shone.

Easingwold Town 3rds impressed in winning 3-0 at Slingsby to move up to fourth place thanks to goals by Scott Dixon (2) and Sam Chappell, with Tom Chadd their man of the match.

Rillington Athletic reserves upset the form book with a 5-2 win at Heslerton reserves.

Rillington’s Simon Leckenby and Heslerton’s man of the match, Dan Watson, traded early goals and the teams also shared own goals, before both sides were reduced to 10 men when Mark Craig, of Heslerton, and Rillington’s Dominic Johnson were sent off by Kirkbymoorside referee Malcolm Richardson.

The second half saw Rillington get well on top to deserve their victory with goals by top performer Harry Thistleton, Lee Oxendale, from the spot, and Phil Horton.

Gillamoor reserves saw off a weakened Pickering Knights team 8-1 to move above the Knights in the table.

Sam Brooker got the only goal of the first half after Ashley Walker had hit a post and the crossbar.

The second half saw Gillamoor get well on top, their other goals coming from Kieron Spry, Brooker, Tom Skelton with a rare header, Craig Harrison, and Ashley Walker, with a hat-trick. Brooker and Paul White were Gills' top performers.

 

• ROSEDALE reached the semi-finals of the Beckett League’s Ryedale Hospital Cup by beating Heslerton 3-1 on Saturday.

Rosedale’s reward is a semi-final visit to Union Rovers, in a repeat of the Gordon Harrison Memorial Trophy semi-finals.

Rosedale took the lead after only 15 seconds when Jonathan Seller raced clear down the left and crossed for Martin Foxton to score.

Foxton then saw a penalty superbly saved by Heslerton’s Gareth Driver, before Steven Parker equalised with a penalty at the other end.

Rosedale reclaimed the lead on the stroke of half-time through Matthew Tyreman.

Five minutes into the second half, Rosedale were awarded a second penalty after Seller was pushed, and this one was despatched by man-of-the-match Tyreman.

Rob Haigh, playing his first full game, was Heslerton’s top performer, at centre-half.