FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

17 August 2008

 

Bishop Auckland 3 : Darlington RA 2

 

 

Team: Chris Porter,  Arjun Purewal, Darren Richardson, Kevin Dixon (Gary Anderson 87mins), Neil Wilkinson, Paul Moss, Lee Ellison, Joe Fairish, Amar Purewal (Adam Strong 79mins), Gavin Parkin, John Pilkington (Lee Foster 71mins)

 

Bishop Auckland progressed to the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup without too many scares in their first fixture as tenants at West Auckland Town.  The weather cleared for a bright and sunny afternoon match. 

 

After two games going a goal down early, this time it should have been Bishops ahead as Darren Richardson carved his way into the box 30 seconds into the game and was chopped down, but the referee waved play on.  Two minutes later Amar Purewal fired a scuffed shot which just missed the target.

 

On 12 minutes Bishops took the lead. Ellison slotted a ball through the defence and Parkin made a perfect run to collect it before calmly rounding the ‘keeper to score his first of the season.

 

Paul Moss picked up a yellow on 25 minutes but Bishops goal was largely untroubled and as the half wore on, Bishops attacks grew. The lead was almost doubled on 32 minutes when Richardson crossed from wide on the goalline to Pilkington whose well timed volley struck a Darlington defender and bounced to safety.

 

However, they would not be denied and on 34 minutes Amar Purewal made it 2-0.  Pilkington again split the defence with a low pass and the young forward checked for offsides before racing clear. Although his first shot rebounded off the ‘keeper’s feet, the rebound fell kindly and he sidefooted home.

 

In the dying seconds of the first half, Darlington grabbed a lifeline when Luke Allen rose above Arjun Purewal to head home a corner to make it 2-1.

 

Whilst Bishops had the majority of play in the second half, clear cut chances were rare.  Parkin had an excellent opportunity on 63 minutes when he beat his man to fire in low but the shot was deflected over the bar by an outstretched foot.

 

The game looked to be safe when Arjun Purewal headed home a corner to make it 3-1 on 81 minutes but a scrappy goal made to RA made it 3-2 on 85 minutes.

 

Porter was forced to tip a deep dipping cross over the bar in the final minute but the whistle came soon after to the relief of the home side.  Consett await in the Preliminary Round in two weeks time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixtures and Results