2006/7 Northern League Division 1
Bishop Auckland 1 : Darlington RA 0
8 November, 2006
Team: Jon Collinson, Steven Larkin, Steven Baynes, Richie Ward, Nicky Mohan, Paul Campbell, Stephen Newham (Joe Fairish 77 mins), Levent Yalcin, Jamie Clarke, Gavin Parkin (Martin Bowes 65 mins), Bryan Stewart
After a nervous final few minutes, Bishops notched another victory at Dean Street, after missing a host of chances to make the game safe.
The lead came on 22 minutes when a deep cross was headed back across goal by Mohan for Clarke to volley home spectacularly with an acrobatic scissor kick.
Darlington's defence almost gifted Clarke a second but his close range snapshot was blocked by Farrell in the RA goal. A minute later Clarke's clever backheel set up Stewart who lifted the ball over the advancing 'keeper, but also inches over the bar.
Clarke was again involved on 40 minutes with a strong run ending in a cross for Stewart who headed unchallenged but wide. Stewart's cross on 42 minutes was headed over the bar by a shaky defender but Bishops were unable to increase the lead before the break.
Yalcin crossed to Parkin to flick danger area, but a defender reached the ball first and deflected it back to the 'keeper on 53 minutes. Newham almost fooled Farrell with an 18 yard drive but the ball was pushed wide of the post with a full length dive.
Bishops were well on top, but couldn't convert their chances. The next came on 65 minutes when Baynes drove in from long range, and as the ball rebounded from the sprawling 'keeper, Stewart was unable to force the ball home.
Darlington's first chance of the game came on 70 minutes when Collinson had to race from his area and couldn't complete the clearance, but the covering defenders did the job for him.
Substititute Bowes pushed in a great cross on 71 minutes, but just evaded the stretching Clarke. Clarke should have finished on 81 minutes when he rounded the 'keeper but trod on the ball and was unable to get a clean short off.
On 85 minutes the striker missed another one-on-one when the 'keeper saved to keep Darlington in the game. There was a corner scare on 90 minutes when the deep cross evaded Collinson, but Ward cleared and minutes later it was all over.