The Wensleydale Creamery League wasted no time in getting restarted after the lockdown, although several of the title contenders still perhaps had their thoughts on Netflix boxsets and decisions about which takeaway to order from.
League leaders Unicorn – never a team to miss an opportunity to make the league more interesting – remain top despite losing 4-2 to Spennithorne and Harmby.
Scott Ryan and Kalem Stanger got on the scoresheet in the first half for Spenni, with two more from Guy Hutchinson and Lee Thompson securing the points for the Wensleydale team.
Richmond Mavericks suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Richmond Town Reserves, failing to score in a game for the first time this season.
Town were grateful to goals from Harry Needham and James Kelly to get the win over their rivals.
Hawes came out of the blocks quickly in their game against Catterick Garrison.
Tommy Calvert put the Dales team 1-0 up in the fifth minute with a good finish from an incisive through-ball from Tom Wallis.
Stephen Fleming levelled shortly afterwards, but Calvert got his second with a good freekick from the edge of the box, before Dan Richardson finished after a mix-up in the Catterick defence to secure the points.
Colburn went ahead after ten minutes in their game away at Reeth when Rory Wallace passed to Craig Teasdale down the right.
Teasdale cut in and arrowed a shot into the far corner.
Soon afterwards, Gary Hutchison robbed a Reeth defender to the left of the box and squared it for Stuart Murray to slot it home.
Joe Woodall added a third before substitute Stevie Macdonald bypassed the keeper with a good cross which was converted by Teasdale just before the break.
James Bowler-Jones pulled one back for Reeth, with Kai Priestley in Colburn’s goal not covering himself in glory.
The game was over as a contest however when Josh Crisp sent a lovely cross to the back post where Murray was waiting to head in.
Sweeney then scored from the spot after Murray was tackled from behind in the area.
Elsewhere in the league, Richmond Buck came from behind to win against a Leyburn side which will be ruing missed chances.
Leyburn took the lead with a flowing move down the right, good cross from Ryan Alderson and a fine finish by Jack Hammond on seven minutes.
Buck were level on the half hour when the Leyburn keeper’s weak kick presented the ball to Luke Pearson on the edge of the box who made no mistake.
However, Leyburn went into half time 2-1 up after a goal from Luke Wilkinson who fended off his defender after a great ball from Ben Fawcett.
The second half belonged to Marshal Thorogood who had been subbed off late in the first half with a face injury.
Leyburn had gone 3-1 up five minutes after the break through Alderson and had squandered open goal opportunities which they lived to regret, James Donaldson doing well for the Buck to pressure the Leyburn strikers into shots off target.
Jacob Tate got Buck back into the game for 2-3 and then Thorogood came back on in a more central position and punished the Leyburn defence with his pace and prowess in front of goal with a 15 minute hat-trick, with two fine assists from Donaldson and one from the relentless Danny Allen.
Leyburn struck late through Fawcett to test Buck’s nerves but Buck held on for the three points which should help confidence and fitness for the hectic run of fixtures to come.
Results
Catterick Garrison 1-3 Hawes
Reeth 1-6 Colburn
Richmond Buck 5-4 Leyburn
Richmond Mavericks 0-2 Richmond Town Reserves
Unicorn 2-4 Spennithorne and Harmby
Fixtures
Medals Shield – 7.4.21
Richmond Buck v Reeth
Richmond Town Reserves v Colburn
League – 10.4.21
Carperby v Richmond Town Reserves
Colburn v Richmond Mavericks
Leyburn v Catterick Garrison
Spennithorne v Reeth
Unicorn v Richmond Buck
