STAFFORD Hockley Club firsts took a welcome break from their struggles in the Courage League (1978) and gained some encourament with a 3-1 friendly win over Walsall.
A lively start led to an opening Stafford goal from John Greatholder, who made it 2-0 and was unlucky not to complete a first half treble.
Walsall replied after the break and cut the deficit, before Dave Moore put the issue beyond all doubt for Stafford with a late third goal.
Doubling the Stafford club’s tally were the third team who hit their Walsall coun- terparts 6-0, with four goals from Eddie Bowers. Steve Lightfoot and Pete Jones made it six of the best.
The Campbell brothers, Douglas, Ian and Robert helped secure runners-up team medals for Stafford AC when com- peting in the final North Staffs Cross Country League event of 1977/78.
Ten-year-old Robert finished 17th out 87 finishers in the colts race and was second Stafford finisher behind Andrew Bemment who ran a fine race to take eighth spot.
In the boys’ race, Douglas was fourth, supported by brother Ian, Duncan Loch and Chris Curtis. In the senior race, Malcolm Mountford was 22nd, with Alan Lee 25th.
Down at Marston Road, former winners Stafford Rangers were held to a goalless draw in their FA Trophy first round tie at home to Southern league outfit Bromsgrove Rovers.
But there was no stopping Boro in mid- week as they won the replay at Bromsgrove 2-0 with goals from Ben Seddon and Howard Hall. The trio of Jim Sargeant, Archie Richards and Colin Chadwick, all of whom had missed the first tie, returned for the replay. Rangers were drawn away to Atherstone in the next round.
Other teams progressing in the FA Tro- phy that same year included, Frickley, Whitby, Wigan (3-1 at Ashton), Winsford (1-0 v Northwich), Matlock (1-0 v Burton) and Boston (4-1 v Worcester).
In the Rugeley and District Boys League, Stafford Town under-14s ran riot, crushing Canwood 17-0 to reach their 100-goal mark. There were four goals apiece from Russell Ventruss, Martin Carter, while Steve Burgin and Jonathan Williams chipped in with hat-tricks.
In the third round of the Stafford Table Tennis League’s handicap cup, Dormans gave away 49 points to second division GPO A, the former edging home by nine points, mainly thanks to Dave Hollins who returned a score of 126-72.
On the Stone TT league front, Tittensor’s John Oakes became the first player to defeat Meaford’s Steve Willis (21-11, 21- 17). However Meaford ran out comfort- able 9-1 victors.
Walton Chasers orienteers won four of the 12 classes on offer in a category one event near Ambergate. Leading the way were Jackie Powell W13, Steven Hale M15, Richard Sharp M13 and David Peel M12. Norman Hall was second in the M43 class.
In the Staffordshire football under-14 five-a-side finals, Graham Balfour (Stafford) emerged the winners with a vic- tory on penalties against Mons Hill (Aldridge and Brownhills).
Stafford 1st XV travelled well, running out 13-6 victors at Sutton and Epsom, thanks to a last gasp score. The Surrey hosts led for most of the match, but cap- tain Mick Green raced over and touched down for a dramatic winner in injury time.
Staffs Top School badminton champi- ons were four girls from Blessed William Howard (Stafford), represented by Tina Glover, Noreen Flood, Debbie Rogers and Lorraine Ristic.
