Northern Premier League Division 1
Bishop Auckland 2 : Bridlington Town 1
8 February, 2006
Team: John Mohan, Paul Crager, Sean Davies, Paul Collins, Paul Griffith, Robbie Clarkson (Brian Healy 77mins), Simon O'Shea, Martin Bowes, Martin Barwick, Richie Storr (Michael Marram 72mins), Danny Newby (Steven Winspear 62mins)
Bishops returned to Dean Street, Shildon at short notice for this fixture, and the change of venue worked wonders on the team.
There was one enforced change from the team which drew at Shepshed on Saturday, with Paul Crager replacing the injured Sonny Parker.
Bishops looked confident as the game began, and were ahead on 9 minutes. A ball over the Bridlington defence allowed Simon O’Shea to run on goal, but just as he entered the box, Bridlington’s No.6 hauled him down clumsily.
Inexplicably, the referee thought this “tackle” only worthy of a yellow card, despite O’Shea’s clean run on goal. The spot-kick was converted with the usual ease by Newby.
Just two minutes later, and the lead should have been doubled. Newby raced onto a through ball, and a chaotic attempt to clear the danger between defender and ‘keeper saw the ball bounce back to the Bishops attacker to fire into the unguarded net. However, the goal was not allowed as the linesman flagged for an unspecified offence.
Griffith was booked on 20 minutes for a hard tackle, but the big defender was again commanding at the back, in tandem with Collins.
Barwick raced beat his man and bore down on goal with a great run on the half hour, but his shot from a tight angle was saved by Bridlington’s ‘keeper.
On 37 minutes, Storr missed a great chance to break his duck when a low cross found numerous Bishops attackers in dangerous positions. The ball found Storr who tamely shot into the ‘keeper’s arms.
But on 40 minutes, the goal came. A deep free-kick from Clarkson was met by Storr who stretched backwards to make contact with his head, and the ball looped over the hapless ‘keeper and into the net.
Bishops left the field to applause for their best half of football this season.
The game should have been made safe in the opening seconds of the second half. Newby raced down the left wing and beat his man to cross low to Barwick whose close range shot cleared the bar.
Newby was the second player booked on 53 minutes, and on 54 minutes Bridlington had their best chance to date when a volley was tipped over the bar by Mohan.
Pressure started to mount on the Bishops defence, and a scramble after 60 minutes saw the ball cleared off the line. Bridlington’s forwards also missed a good chance on 62 minutes when a shot was blazed into the street behind the goal.
Bishops had their chances too though, and on 67 minutes a corner was punched weakly to Storr whose scissor kick from 12 yards was held by the ‘keeper.
Bridlington grabbed a goal on 72 minutes from Harper, and the Bridlington onslaught began. Crager was lucky to get away with a weak back header on 75 minutes, but the resulting shot from a narrow angle went across the face of goal.
A tiring Bowes hit a snapshot from 35 yards which had Bridlington’s ‘keeper flapping. The save spun up and over the custodian but just wide of the post.
A rebound from action in the area fell to O’Shea who blazed over on 81 minutes.
The remaining few minutes, including the eight of added time, were scrappy. Player Manager Healy was booked on 86 minutes for dissent. A minute later he was weaving past two defenders and his curling shot was glanced out for a corner.
Collins took the yellow count to four in injury time, but Bishops held out for a deserved win – the first since 1 October – and left the field to the ecstatic shouts and chants of the long suffering Bishops supporters.