AFTER close to 40 years at the club, Dave Archbold played against Benwell Hill for the first time - and proved the match winner for new club Newton!

Superb bowling figures saw him take five wickets against Benwell’s third team at the cost of just six runs, his haul including a hat-trick - with 16-year-old son William among his victims.

It was a top display by Archbold who joined Newton at the beginning of 2017 in search of Saturday cricket after his playing time became limited at Benwell.

And his first encounter against the club he grew up at was certainly an eye-catching one.

His crowning glory in the five wicket victory saw him end with a hat-trick, the wickets of son William and Akeel Tassawar following immediately after the removal of Leighton Hopper.

Archbold said: “I started at Benwell Hill when I was 11 and I’m now 50, although I didn’t play for a season-and-a-half during that time.

“They didn’t pick me on a weekend last season so I chatted to the lads at Newton and they told me to come along, and that’s why I’m here now at a fantastic club.

“When you play at a club for such a long time, you get to know all of the players and their strengths and weaknesses, and that helped playing against them.

“I was over the moon to beat them and, as my house backs on to the Benwell clubhouse, I’ve been in a few times and a few ex players have come up and had a bit of a word about it!”

He added: “We play Benwell again in three weeks time, so I will probably get smashed all around the ground!”

The removal of his son for a duck was a big moment for him too, the teenager a promising member of Northumberland’s U17 squad.

He said: “I would have liked him to have got some runs, if I’m honest, but that’s the way cricket goes some times. I don’t think he’s quite forgiven me yet!”

Archbold’s performance was the stand out in a good bowling display from Newton, who bowled out the visitors to Mowden Hall to just 57 runs.

They lasted only 28 overs as Archbold and his crew struck, Australian bowler Zack Brown also making a big impression with three wickets for seven runs.

Benwell opener Joseph Fletcher and Rosss Marley were the only batsmen to make double figures, although neither made it to 20.

With Hopper continuing his good form this season, Benwell had Newton sweating early in their reply as he removed Chris Wilkie, Dinak Rawlley and Dan Taylor early.

Mark Davison and captain Andrew Jones steadied the ship and got the hosts back on track, with Andrew Jeffery coming in and helping his skipper pass the target in 22 overs.