CARL Stewart bagged a brace as Quakerwood picked up three important points during a 3-2 York Sunday Morning League victory over Malt Shovel

The home side went 2-0 up after 15 minutes with Stewart netting at the near post.

Dale Holding went on to add a second minutes later before Quakerwood went on to miss a whole host of chances and had to wait until the second period before adding a third through Stewart's exquisite chip.

Malt then rallied as goals from Josh Brigham and Wayne Brook brought them back into the game, but a tremendous late save from Quaker goalkeeper Joe Mason safeguarded the home side's victory.

In division two, Thorpe United got 2016 off to a winning start as they easily overcame ten-man Haxby United 6-1.

Thorpe took the lead after 15 minutes when James Wye fed through Curtis Swain who composed himself before smashing past the Haxby keeper at his near post.

It was 2-0 on the half-hour mark when a Shaun Gandy throw was flicked on by Wye and Jake Wild won the contest with the keeper to head home.

Five minutes before half-time, the Blues then scored the goal of the game when Swain teed up Danny Beach who slammed in an effort across the keeper from 20 yards.

From the second-half restart, Haxby grabbed their consolation when Tom Maskell made his way through unchallenged before coolly placing past keeper Jamie Brace.

A bit of nervousness started to creep in but, when Swain was needlessly hacked down from behind in the penalty area, skipper James Newnham stepped up to convert from 12 yards to put the game beyond doubt and Wild went on to power home a second header from substitute Jonathan Lunt's whipped-in cross.

The hosts then wrapped up the scoring when Matt Jamieson found Swain and a hopeful shot made its way into the back of the net when the keeper left the ball thinking it was going wide.