Northern League Division 1

29 February 2008

West Auckland 2 : Bishop Auckland 1

Team: Peter Keen, Lee Foster, Dominic Gamble, Luke Ball, Paul Crager, Chris Gilligan, Joe Fairish (Langley 76mins), Lee Ellison, Gavin Parkin, Carl Chillingsworth, Darren Richardson

Friday night proved to be just one match too many for Bishops this week as West Auckland gained some revenge for last weeks defeat on a horrendous night at Darlington Road. Paul Moss was unable to play, so Chris Gilligan replaced him in the starting line-up. Kevin Dixon continued his suspension, and Andrew Harrison was still injured from the first meeting of the teams last week so Darren Richardson retained his place in the team.

The rain crashed in on a gale force wind as Bishops kicked off into the teeth of the gale. Bishops had the first big chance on 4 minutes when Gamble used the wind to throw the ball into the area, and Ellison prodded the ball into the thick of the action. There were four attempts to stab the ball home before it was cleared out of the six yard box.

The next chance on 15 minutes was wind assisted as Ellison’s free-kick died in the wind but Parkin was unable to get any real power on the header and Wilkinson saved easily.

West looked dangerous with the high ball over the top, and it was one of these balls that created the opening for their opening goal. A clearance from just outside the Bishops area deflected off another player’s legs straight into the path of Jardine who had the easy task of despatching it into the net.

Bishops confidence dropped and a second goal followed on 31 minutes. Fairish was penalised for a foul and Fairhurst hit the ball hard from the free kick for a wind assisted second.

Parkin, again playing on the right side of an attacking midfield, almost pulled a goal back at the end of the half when he created a chance out of nothing, unleashing a shot from outside the area which went just over.

Keen made a good save on 59 minutes to keep Bishops in the game.

Bishops were back in it on 70 minutes when Fairish played in the overlapping Foster who cut back an excellent low cross which Richardson stabbed home for his third goal in three games.

Fairish sustained an injury with 75 minutes gone, to be replaced by Langley, and Bishops pressed for the remainder of the game without finding the net. Crager almost got the ball in a minute from time but West had enough men guarding the goal to clear the danger. A beautiful ball over the top from Ball played Parkin in for a clear run on goal, but the referee clearly had an urgent appointment and brought the game to a premature close before the striker had the chance to tie the game.

Fixtures and Results