2006/7 Northern League Division 1
Bishop Auckland 2 : Tow Law 2
28 August, 2006
Team: John Collinson, Paul Griffith, Paul Crager, Richie Ward, Nicky Mohan, Joe Fairish (Dan Newby 61mins), Paul Campbell (Brian Healy 75mins), Steve Newham, Stephen Winspear (Andy Fletcher 7mins), Levent Yalcin, Bryan Stewart
Bishops finally experienced some late joy at Dean Street with an injury time equaliser against Tow Law Town.
With a severely weakened squad, Bishops started with Crager, Fairish and Campbell returning to the starting X1. A fourth minute injury to Winspear didn’t help.
Whilst down to ten men, Crager gave Bishops a wonderful start with a stunning 30 yard shot which looped over the ‘keeper’s head and inside the far post.
Fletcher replaced Winspear in the forward line soon after.
Bishops continued to press and excellent work by Yalcin allowed Newham to blaze in a shot that was well handled by the Tow Law ‘keeper on 15 minutes.
1st Half: Barnes' header goes in off the bar
Picture (c) FILMAR Photography
Stewart cut down the left to fire into the side netting on 23 minutes.
Tow Law levelled on 34 minutes with a near post header from Barnes going in off the underside of the bar. Three minutes later a corner, conceded when Collinson fumbled a high ball over the line, was glanced home, again by Barnes, to make it 2-1.
1st Half: Griffith on the run
Picture (c) FILMAR Photography
Griffith made great progress down the right flank on 45 minutes and after a 1-2 with Yalcin blasted a shot which was flapped out for a corner. From the corner Fletcher headed wide of the far post from a great position.
After a slow start to the second half, Bishops burst into life on the hour, and had two great penalty shouts. First Newham had his shirt pulled yards from goal, and despite the referee being adjacent to the action he ignored the clear offence
2nd Half: Newham in the long grass
Picture (c) FILMAR Photography
On 67 minutes a Tow Law defender raised his arm to block a shot but got away with it, as Newham crashed the ball wide of the target.
Bishops drove forward in numbers, and on 84 minutes, from the fifth corner in quick succession, Brian Healy prodded the ball through the ‘keeper, but one of the defenders on the line hacked it out.
2nd Half: Stewart equalises, as assistant Mohan looks on
Picture (c) FILMAR Photography
Mohan headed over unchallenged from another corner as time ran out, but the break came in injury time when Mohan again found space in the box to cushion a header to Stewart who brought the ball down on his chest and bundled the ball over the line with a scuffed shot from the edge of the six yard box.
There was still time for another penalty shout, this time at the other end, when the ball struck Ward’s arm, but again the referee chose to ignore the offence.
2nd Half: Rampaging army of Blues go for the winner
Picture (c) FILMAR Photography