Northern League Division 1

27 August 2007

 

Spennymoor Town 3 : Bishop Auckland 0

 

 

Team:  Nicky Farrell, James Crossman, Paul Crager, Daryll Evans (Shaun Boynton 60 mins), Paul Griffith, Paul Harvey, Joe Fairish, Scott Richards, Gavin Parkin, Dane Wilson,Dale Mendum (Darren Richardson 64 mins)

 

Bishops met up with the Spennymoor Town Northern League franchise at the Brewery Field on a sunny bank holiday Monday.  Without goalkeeper Chris Porter and Bryan Stewart, Dale Mendum joined new signing Nicky Farrell in the starting line-up.

 

The match was much anticipated, after the home club’s 24 year spell in Northern League Division Two, and Bishops near two decades in the UniBond League.  Fortunately the council deigned to open the gates of the Brewery Field for this important fixture between the two County Durham sides.

 

Kicking up the hill, Spennymoor hit the bar in the first minute.  A real break for Bishops.  Richie Storr had a straight forward one on one in the ninth minute which debutant Nicky Farrell dived low to save.

 

Bishops were competitive in the opening exchanges and were unlucky not to be ahead on 22 minutes when Crager’s shot from a corner was cleared off the line.  Scott Richards follow up was also headed off the line by Adam Clough. 

 

Moors missed another one on one on 22 minutes.  Five minutes later Gavin Parkin helped the ball through to Fairish on the right whose shot was tipped over the bar.

 

The referee awarded a soft free-kick when Harvey kicked the ball from under a prostrate Moors player.  The kick was taken twice, and from the second attempt Storr headed home from eight yards.

 

Bishops were two down on 51 minutes when Karl Richards, one of many ex-Bishops now plying their trade in Black & White.

 

The last real chance Bishops had to get back into the game came on 60 minutes when Wilson broked down the right but his cross was tipped just past the advancing Scott Richards.

 

Manson added a third on 72 minutes as Bishops faded out of the game, to the depressing sound of the expletive ridden chanting of the Moors faithful.

 

The two teams meet again in the league cup on September 15th, landlords permitting.

 

 

 

 

Fixtures and Results