Alnmouth collapse sees loss of points

Looking on course to gain three much needed points, a late collapse saw Alnmouth ship three goals in the last ten minutes to leave them empty handed – scant reward for a decent, spirited show.

With a string of key players unavailable, the much changed side nevertheless had the better of the first half which they led from the sixth minute when a fine flowing move involving Michael Brown, Liam Jefferson, Jamie Reid & Peter Murray was finished off by the returning Ryan Taylor fifteen yards out, striking first time into the bottom corner. Following this, the visitors had opportunities to double the lead with the best opening falling to the luckless Murray.

The home side levelled things up just after the interval with a Chris Baker header from a corner doing the damage. United restored their advantage on seventy three minutes when free kick specialist Brown’s effort from nineteen yards was too hot for the ‘keeper to handle. It looked odds-on an away win with the home side rocking as Brown played Peter Murray through on goal before, now under pressure, he blazed over & then Andy Murray jinked his way through the Seaton Burn defence only for a near post block and further goal line scrambles kept them in touch.

Punishment came in the eighty first minute when play was brought all the way back after a home attack and from the resultant deep free-kick into the box, Baker was at it again with his head to find the net. Five minutes later and the turnaround was complete as yet another header found the target, this time Kieran Ellis connecting with a corner.

The demoralised Seasiders were left with nothing to show for their efforts and leaked a further goal with the last kick as Andy Arnott’s strike was deflected past the stranded Liam Roper.

Alnmouth Utd: L Roper, D Turnbull (C Henderson), L Jefferson, R Wright, J Winter, J Reid (A Lally), M Brown, S Toal, P Murray, A Murray, R Taylor.

Match Sponsor: Sturton Grange Developments.

* Fixtures for the Northern Alliance League for Saturday (December 17) are:

Premier Division - Northbank v Killingworth Town; Ashington Colliers v Wallington; Gateshead Rutherford v Ponteland; Shankhouse v Red House Farm.

Division 1 - Alnmouth v Gosforth Bohemians; Cullercoats v Gateshead Redheugh; Gateshead A v Heaton Stannington A; Wallsend BC v Hexham.

Division 2 - Bedlington Town v Red Row; Cramlington United v Spittal Rovers; Hazlerigg Victory v Prudhoe YC Seniors’ Wideopen And District v Blyth FC; Willington Quay v Whitley Bay BC Seniors; Forest Hall v Whitburn Athletic.

George Dobbins League Cup - Newbiggin v Newcastle Univ; Grainger Park v Percy Main Ams; Killingworth YPC v Walker Central; Monkseaton v Birtley Town.

Gardner Cup - Blyth Town A v Seaton Delaval; Cramlington Town v North Shields Athletic; Wallsend LC v Hebburn Reyrolle.