Old Malton St Mary’s go joint-top after rout over Riccall (From Gazette & Herald)

Old Malton St Mary’s go joint-top after rout over Riccall

2:54pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in Sport

Old Malton St Mary’s came back from an enforced two-week break with all guns blazing as they demolished Riccall 8-0 to go joint-top of the York Minster Engineering League premier division.

The hosts had Jon Newton, Dean Nuttall and Eddie Cass all unavailable, but Riccall still had no answer to their attacking flair and finishing power, a stunning opening 45 minutes blowing the shell-shocked visitors away.

With previous leaders Dunnington not in league action, St Mary’s and Huntington, who won at Dringhouses, went to the summit, with the Ryedale side having a game in hand. Dunnington are one point behind having played a game less, while Copmanthorpe are now out of the reckoning after defeat at Rowntrees.

A Richard Dunning free-kick was missed by everyone and landed in the bottom corner to give St Mary’s the lead over relegation-threatened Riccall.

More sustained pressure saw the lead doubled on 22 minutes, Danny Fogg finishing off well from Simon Cooke’s great through ball. It came as no great surprise when a third was hammered in, Neil Wilford pouncing on a defensive error to finish from 30 yards.

A quick-fire double before half-time totally dejected Riccall. A Jack Riley cross was headed powerfully home by Fogg, who then turned provider, Scott Preston heading home his cross.

The second half continued in a similar fashion with stand-in St Mary’s goalkeeper Paul Scaling a virtual spectator. The move of the game ended with Fogg cheekily dragging the ball back and tapping home for a deserved hat-trick from a Richard Dunning cross.

Player-boss Darren Dunning got in on the act with a free-kick – almost a carbon copy of his brother’s opener – and Fogg capped a fine individual performance as a stand-in striker when firing home late on from Lander’s fine through ball.

Haxby United visit Old Malton this Saturday, the hosts going for a hat-trick of big wins against the strugglers this term.

Terrington Glory are now one win away from promotion to the York Minster Engineering League premier division after maintaining their 100 per cent home record with 1-0 win over lowly Heworth.

Glory head Ryedale rivals Amotherby & Swinton by 10 points with five games left.

Saturday’s win was far from straightforward, however, as they were made to battle hard, both teams turning over possession cheaply.

The hosts edged the share of possession and the few chances that came with it, but the visitors stayed in the game which made for a tense finish.

Heworth nearly took a shock lead when a shot-cum-clearance caught on the wind, goalkeeper Ben Gill showing great agility to claw the ball away. Glory, though, created the only decent chances.

The second period saw Terrington exert pressure and it seemed only a matter of time before one of their chances would be taken – Alex Yates, Dave Bradshaw, Danny Bulmer, Ben Richardson and sub Chris Leedham all missing opportunities.

The team did not panic, though, and on the hour got the goal that eventually sealed the points. Andy Frank’s attempted through ball to Ben Richardson, pictured on the left, should have been cut out but an error by the defender saw Richardson steal the ball, bear down on goal and smashing it home.

The hosts missed more chances after that, but it did not matter as the division’s meanest defence racked up another clean sheet. Danny Bulmer was man of the match in an otherwise indifferent display.

Neither Amotherby nor Malton & Norton were in action, with Pocklington and Tockwith closing the gap to the former in the race for promotion.

Stamford Bridge had no game in divison two, likewise the second strings for Old Malton, Amotherby and Stamford Bridge in the reserve divisions.

Malton & Norton seconds, though, beat reserve ‘B’ rivals Aviva 5-1 in the Reserve Cup. The goalscorers were Ed Marwood, Rob Thackray (2), Joe Jefferson and an own goal. Jimmy Allinson hit the Aviva response.