Crook and District League
THE dale’s newest team has been expelled from the league.
Officials have booted out Redwell Rangers FC as the club has not fulfilled at least 75 per cent of fixtures in Division Two or Colin Waites Cup.
Consequently, all results and points gained against Rangers have been deleted.
The club was formed in March last year and after playing a number of friendly fixtures, joined the Crook and District League’s second division for the start of the current campaign.
The club has struggled at this standard and has remained winless. In the league, Redwell shipped 74 goals in just seven matches.
The nadir came on January 12 when Rangers were hammered 29-0 by Stanhope Town SSC in the Colin Waites Cup.
The club has not played a game since.
Manager Dave Short said the club had been hit by a lack of player availability for Saturday matches.
He said the club was not folding and would continue to play friendly fixtures.
He said the plan was to join the Darlington Sunday Morning Invitation League next season.
“I can get players for Sunday, not for a Saturday. We have been struggling for players on a Saturday and that has been making things look worse than we are,” he said.
“We would have liked to have seen the season through (in the Crook and District League) but it was not to be.
“Things have not worked out. I did not have the players to compete on a Saturday.”
He said plans were already being made for next season, when the club is likely to be based at the Cricketers Arms, in Barney.
On the field, Evenwood Town’s game on Saturday was postponed and it was a free week for Bowes and Glaxo Rangers.
However, it was a good day for two sides from the league as Middlestone Moor Mason’s Arms and Shildon Railway won their respective semi-finals of the Durham Minor Cup.
President Maurice Galley said he was delighted to see two Crook league sides through to the final.
“It’s been a strong Minor Cup entry this year. In addition to clubs from the Wearside Development league, today's losing semi finalists both play in the Northern Alliance.
“The Crook league has done exceptionally well,” added Mr Galley
Masons completed a 5-0 win against Hebburn U23, while Shildon overcame last year's runners-up Winlaton Vulcans 4-0.
Wear Valley Sunday League
AFTER their recent blip in form, Toft Hill were back to winning ways with a narrow victory against North Bitchburn Red Lion.
Nigel Beckley scored the only goal of the game to give his side the points which keep them in second place of division two, level on points with Newton Aycliffe Big Club but with five games in hand.
The only other dale side in action on Sunday was Gainford, who ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at Newton Aycliffe Gretna.
The prolific Craig Edwards scored twice with Mark Harding adding the third, while Ben Moore claimed man-of-the-match honours.
In the division one West Auckland derby, WA Club ran out 3-1 winners against WA Tunns.
Connor Lowes (2) and Gareth McMahon scored for the Club, with Mark Parvin replying for Tunns.
Other results:
Division 1: BA Sports 5, Coundon Miners 3; Queen's Head 1, Shildon Elm Road 2.
Division 2: Bay Horse 1, Darlington RA 4; BA Snooker 0, NA Sports 7; KM Half Moon 2, Wearhead Utd 3; NA Big Club 8, Spennymoor Ash Tree 5.
DFA Sunday Cup: Sedgefield St Edmunds 3, Witton Park 3 (Witton lost 3-0 on penalties); Sunderland Hylton Castle 4, Middlestone Moor Masons Arms 2.
