Northern League Division 1

10 October 2007

Billingham Synthonia 2 : Bishop Auckland 1

Team: Chris Porter, James Crossman, Dominic Gamble, Scott Richards, Paul Crager, Steve Howey (Arjun Purewal 59mins), Dale Mendum (Dane Wilson 66mins), Joe Fairish, Gavin Parkin, Ben Jackson, Bryan Stewart

Bishops were desperately unlucky to leave Central Avenue pointless after Lev Yalcin undeservedly stole the points for the Synners in injury time.

Bishops were short on defenders so Steve Howey played despite an injury to replace the unavailable Griffith. Scott Richards returned to midfield to replace the injured Evans.

The first real chance went to the visitors as on 21 minutes Stewart crossed for Jackson to head towards the corner of the net, but his namesake in the Synthonia goal pushed the ball round the post.

Billingham Synthonia took the lead on 34 minutes. Joe Fairish was harshly yellow carded for an innocuous shirt pull, and the resulting free kick was headed in at the far post. A minute later, Porter did well to keep out a low shot from Campbell.

Bishops looked like they were level on 36 minutes, but Crager’s header from a corner was disallowed for a push. Soon after Parkin slotted the ball through to Jackson whose low shot from the left of the goal edged just wide of the post.

The first good chance of the second half was a Bishops free-kick on 56 minutes. Jackson fired in and the ball deflected, sending the ‘keeper the wrong way but flying just inches past the post. On 57 minutes a corner was met by Howey in the area. The ball flew into the air before falling to Parkin whose shot was blocked. The rebound was met by Richards whose shot was also blocked by a desperately diving defender.

Bishops were well on top, and Gamble’s 25 yard free kick almost sneaked into the far top corner with the ‘keeper looking instead for a cross. A last minute adjustment saw the ball pushed just over the bar.

Wilson joined the attack on 66 minutes and with virtually his first touch Bishops were level. Two sweet and incisive passes from Gamble in defence then Parkin on the half way line found Wilson with just a defender to shrug off, before slotting the ball past Jackson in the home goal.

It was Bishops who looked like taking the points, and Parkin almost gave Bishops the lead on 78 minutes with a lob which beat the ‘keeper, but fell agonisingly just over the bar.

Even the four members of the Synthonia coaching staff, jostling for position inside the technical area, were unable to get the home defence sorted and with 84 minutes on the clock Jackson beat his man on the right and swung in an excellent cross to Wilson. The big forward powered a header against the inside of the right hand post.

The clock had run into injury time when from another innocuous free-kick on the edge of the Bishops area, Stewart completely missed his chance to clear the ball and the previously anonymous Yalcin hit a shot which squirmed just inside the post.

Fixtures and Results