Saturday League: Pier power to win at Ayton

Pier’s sixth win in as many games this season was mainly thanks to their fantastic first-half display, the visitors surging into a 3-0 half-time lead.

Martin Cooper’s corner caused panic in the home defence and Danny Cooper kept his cool in the ensuing scramble to smash the ball into the roof of the net and put Pier in front.

Five minutes later, after another corner, the home defence once again failed to clear their lines and a rare goal from Andy Sheader doubled Pier’s advantage.

Fine play from Martin Cooper and Ali Caw then allowed Neil Thomas to fire in the visitors’ third goal, which was also the forward’s 100th for the Pier first team.

The visitors wrapped up the win in the 75th minute when Caw and Tommy Barker linked up well and set up Gaz Thomas to send a diving header past the Ayton keeper.

Man of the match for Andy Spivey’s side was defender James Wardle, while young keeper Kyle Scaife also impressed for the victors.

USB claimed a thrilling 6-3 win at Ryedale Sports Club.

Matty Turner opened the scoring for Dave Oxley’s troops and two cracking efforts from Craig Rackham put the visitors 3-0 up after only 20 minutes.

Jordan Thackeray’s fine strike gave the home side hope before half-time.

Liam Vasey’s scorching 35-yard free-kick restored USB’s three-goal lead early in the second half, but Ryedale hit back with a Matty Gardner goal and Martin Myers then missed a fine chance which proved costly for the hosts as a great solo run and finish from Turner put USB 5-2 up.

Terry Day then thumped in from 40 yards for the away team, and although Ben Thompson replied again for Dale it was too little too late for Lee Thackeray’s club.

Vasey was named as man of the match for USB, while Zak Poole also shone in defence for the Scarborough side.

Seamer Sports edged away from the wrong end of the table with a 2-0 win at fellow relegation battlers Whitby Fisherman’s Society, who ended the game with nine men after two men were dismissed in the second half.

Neither side could break the deadlock in the opening 45 minutes, but Luke Purvis opened the scoring for the village club after latching onto a great pass from Joe Gallagher.

The home side’s chances were then effectively ended by the dismissal of two of their players for dissent, Travis Wood firing in Seamer’s second to seal Whitby’s fate.

Paddy Parke praised his whole team for their fine work in securing all three points in this crucial fixture.

Filey Town Reserves maintained their 100 per cent second division record with a 6-0 home win against Athletico2B.

First-half goals from Joe Gage, Martin Jenkinson and Billy Coyne steered Town into a 3-0 half-time lead, then further goals from Gage, Scott Sheldon and Jordan Powell, with a cheeky back-flick, completed the win for Filey after the interval.

Centre-back Liam Barnes and Jamie Gallagher, in central midfield, were the star players for Filey, who are now second in the table and only a point behind leaders Scalby and the Clarence Drive club have a game in hand on the Otters.

Edgehill Reserves moved into third spot with a 6-1 win at lowly Snainton.

It was a happy return to his old club for Edgehill Reserves boss Dan I’Anson, and an early double from new signing Mikey Barker put the visitors in control.

A towering header from Mikey Webster gave the villagers hope, but soon after he put the ball into his own net when an attempted clearance looped over keeper Paul Kinghorn.

Barker then completed his hat-trick after latching onto a fine pass from teenager Ellis Sellers, and Keith Skelton’s 18-yard shot made it 5-1 at half-time to Edgehill.

Maciej Kapynski completed the scoring for Edgehill after the break.

I’Anson singled out Barker and defender Lee Dennis as his side’s best players.

Cayton Corinthians came back from 1-0 down to earn a 2-1 home win against Newlands Park Reserves in a scrappy encounter.

Franny Lightfoot’s stunning 40-yard shot looped over the keeper to give Newlands a 10th-minute lead and they held onto that until the 70th minute, when a poor headed backpass was collected by Steve Roberts and he shot past the Newlands keeper.

The depleted visitors were then sunk by a second Roberts goal 10 minutes from time, when the ex-Pickering marksman chipped the ball over the keeper and headed in off the post to secure the points.

Man of the match for the hosts was Jake McAleese, who was switched from his usual role as a winger to centre-back by boss Shaun Rennison, while Lightfoot was the star man for Joe Hakings’ very weakened Newlands line-up.

Falsgrave Athletic moved into second place in division three thanks to a 3-1 win at Sleights Reserves.

Mark Reddy put the visitors ahead with a neat finish after fien midfield play five minutes before half-time, but on the stroke of half-time man of the match Danny Wilson’s intricate lob got Sleights back on level terms.

Fifteen minutes from time Mikey Anderson’s cross caused Slights score an own goal and five minutes later sub Joe Sunter made sure with the visitors’ third.

Boss Lee Smyth praised the whole Falsgrave team for their efforts in claiming this win.

Ayton Reserves earned a superb 3-1 win at Eastway Sports.

The home side went in front against the run of play through Craig Moss in the 22nd minute, but the villagers, who missed several first-half chances, refused to submit.

Sub Niall Prentice made a swift impact after coming on as a half-time sub for Ayton, providing the pass for Kieran Friett to equalise in the 50th minute with a neat finish.

Ten minutes later centre-back James Martin was sent off for the home side after a strong challenge, and Ayton soon took advantage of the extra man with a second, player-boss Mark Plumpton passing for Ellis Wilson to chip his shot over the advancing keeper.

Sub Louis Messruther made sure of the win five minutes from time with his first-ever senior goal, flicking the ball past the keeper and rolling the ball into an empty net.

Robbie Gill was man of the match in a great Ayton team display while Andy Dennis shone for the home side.