2006/7 Northern League Division 1
Bedlington Terriers 2 : Bishop Auckland 2
2 December, 2006
Team: Chris Porter, Steven Larkin, Max Applegarth, Richie Ward, Nicky Mohan, Scott Nicholson, Paul Campbell (Matthew Coad 59 mins, Gavin Parkin 66 mins), Levent Yalcin, Jamie Clarke, Richie Storr, Bryan Stewart (Dale Mendum 84 mins)
Bishops were lucky to escape with a point from an improving Bedlington Terriers but the late red card for Jamie Clarke is likely to prove more important than the point gained.
Bishops had an early chance when Nicholson pushed a high ball to Clarke whose weak shot was easily saved. Bedlington then missed a string of chances with a shot off the underside of the bar on 8 minutes, a missed one-on-one on 11 minutes and a low shot just past the far post on 15 minutes.
Bishops dominated possession for much of the half, but it was Bedlington who had the bulk of the chances. The half ended with a bad injury to Bedlington's No.3 who left the field on a stretcher.
Bishops took the lead with a great move on 55 minutes when Stewart flicked the ball on to Nicholson who crossed to the unmarked Clarke to head home from ten yards.
On 59 minutes Bedlington were level when Bishops defence was all at sea and Porter was unable to deal with a clinical low shot under his body to make it 1-1.
Two minutes later it was 2-1 to the terriers with a low cross tapped home from close range with the defending again suspect.
Between Bedlington's goals, Matthew Coad had made his return from injury, but the midfield only lasted seven minutes and he limped off to be replaced by Gavin Parkin.
Parkin scored the goal of the game on 71 minutes when Nicholson left the ball to the young forward who struck it on the volley from 20 yards, and it blazed in just inside the far post.
There were chances at both ends in the remaining minutes. Nicholson blazed a shot inches wide on 88 minutes with the 'keeper beaten. Bedlington toe poked a shot straight at Porter with a minute left and the goal gaping. Clarke also missed a chance in the final minute.
In injury time a ball over the Bedlington defence found Parkin and Clarke racing clear. Parkin looked offside, Clarke onside, but the flag waved and the whistle blew before Clarke fired the ball into the net. Having already booked Clarke for comments to the linesman earlier in the half, the referee leapt at the opportunity to administer further punishment to the vocal Clarke and showed him a red.