Carrington boost four-timer bid

The result of the Premier Division’s only surviving game of the day hung in the balance for the best part of an hour but Carrington came through to win 5-1.

They were completing a league double over their nearest challengers to extend their lead to six points.

It was a tight affair early on with both sides battling hard for possession.

Green, with the wind at their backs, managed to build pressure with a series of set pieces but were unable to force an opening.

Carrington’s best moments were limited to sporadic counter attacks.

After a goalless first half Carrington, with the elements now in their favour, began to turn the screw but it took a moment of brilliance from Damien Randall to open the scoring.

Picking up the ball out on the right, he cut inside two defenders before unleashing a blistering left foot strike into the far corner of the net from 25 yards.

With Green now having to commit more players forward, things started to open up for Carrington end they extended their lead with a penalty for handball. Jordan Coduri made no mistake from the spot.

Coduri then picked out the bottom corner from just outside the box before Leon Hurles-Brook found himself clean through and calmly scored with his first touch since coming on.

Coduri completed his hat-trick with a well taken effort and then Green managed a late consolation when Gary Ash forced one home at the near post.

Beehive and Cross Keys had to survive a tense finish at home to Triangle before boosting their Division One promotion bid with a 4-3 win at Savile Park.

Garry Rhodes’ side have a reputation for playing well against the better sides and struggling against the lower sides and they certainly made hard work of it against their fourth-from-bottom visitors.

Two goals in five minutes midway through the first half - one from Nick Green and an own goal - put Beehive on top.

Triangle halved the deficit from the penalty spot but Lee Gill’s first goal of the season, with his weaker right foot, made it 3-1 at the break.

When Danny Hildred extended the advantage with a low shot just after half time Beehive looked home and dry but plucky Triangle hit back with two goals to set up a nerve-wracking last 10 minutes for Beehive.

Dave Benson, Lewis Holdsworth and Dan Pummel got the Triangle goals and rival left backs Pummel and Gill were their teams’ man of the match.

Beehive are second and Rhodes is expecting a tight battle for honours.

“We have played Feathers (the leaders) twice but we have matches against Queens Head and Ovenden BCFC to come,” he said.

Top Club Reserves returned from a two month absence and picked up their first win since October with a 2-1 victory against St Columbas FC in Division Two.

In a cat and mouse start, it wasn’t until a speculative effort from Top Club’s Thomas Stead zipped over the bar after 15 minutes that either goal was threatened.

Ten minutes later an end to end period of play brought the game to life.

Saints front man Jordan Winter’s whipped in ball evaded everyone before shaving the far post. At the other end Aaron Barkham was thwarted by a good double save from Jakub Fornal.

Barkham soon squeezed his side in front. A right wing cross evaded the St Columbas defence and despite a good attempted block from Fornal the ball trickled over the line.

The lead lasted only three minutes as a fine goal brought the visitors level. Tom Howse hit the woodwork but Winter curled home the rebound from outside the box.

Good saves kept it at 1-1 before what turned out to the winning goal was rifled home by Top Club front man Jonny Handley on 55 minutes.

The young Saints side fought hard to get back into the match but the more experienced Top Club looked the more likely scorers in the heavy conditions.

Fornal made further good saves and Gary Nicholson missed a couple of chances.

The Top Club keeper made a decent double save and Connor Bottomley hit a tame shot.