Northern League Division 1
17 November 2007
Ashington 1
: Bishop Auckland 0
Team: Chris Porter,
Liam Bramley, Dominic Gamble, Michael Coghlan, Paul Crager, Jason Newall, Joe Fairish,
Kevin Dixon, Gavin Parkin, Carl Chillingsworth, Gus DiLella
Bishops made and missed enough good chances in the first 20 minutes of this
game to win the match, but after spurning these chances were punished by a late
late own goal. Bishops played new
signings Carl Chillingsworth and Gus DiLella, both returning after a five year
absence, on what will presumably be Bishops last visit to
Bishops first chance came in the
first minute when Coghlan dinked the ball forward to Chillingsworth whose flick
landed right in the hands of the ‘keeper.
Porter saved well on 15 minutes, palming out a shot from wide on the
right after Gamble was beaten.
Parkin missed Bishops second
chance on 17 minutes when a slotted throug ball found the forward clear of the
defence but his low shot was saved by the ‘keeper’s legs. The resulting corner was haded beautifully by
Crager to the bottom left corner of the goal, but again the ‘keeper saved with his
feet.
On 20 minutes Chillingsworth
missed Bishops third chance in as many minutes when Coghlan played a free-kick
to the forwards feet but the striker side footed weakly wide.
Chances missed, Ashington came
more into the game. Bramley made a good
block when danger loomed on 21 minutes and on 27 minutes Porter advanced to
force Cockburn wide enough, and his shot flew wide of the post.
The game was halted on 37 minutes
when the referee called for assistance from the touchline. After a short delay a shovel was found to
remove an offensive item from the playing surface and the match was allowed to
resume.
The second half lacked any real
chances at either end in the early stages, but as the half wore on it looked
more and more likely that a winner would come.
Ashington were lucky to keep all players on the park when a shocking
foul on Chillingsworth went unpunished.
Presumably the offender’s earlier yellow card had some bearing on this
decision.
On 78 minutes Coghlan crossed the
ball into the area, Parkin capitalised on an error to win the ball but his shot
was well blocked on the line.
A minutes later,
Bishops were denied a clear penalty.
Parkin crossed perfectly for a charging Fairish, but just as he was
about to connect with a shot a defender clattered him to the ground – fairly in
the opinion of the official.
Porter made a brilliant save on 83
minutes to keep the scores level and just as it was looking like a draw was
inevitable, an injury time Ashington cross was knocked past Porter by a Bishops
player.