Northern League Division 1
15 November 2008
Bishop Auckland 0 :
Bedlington Terriers 1
Team: Chris Porter, Gareth Gwyn, Darren Richardson, Martin Langley, Arjun Purewal, Kevin Dixon, Dale
Dunn (Amar Purewal 66mins), Lewis Hardman, Gavin Parkin, Joseph Fairish, Liam
O’Mahoney (Scott Richards 45mins)
Bedlington
waited until deep into injury time to take the points their performance
probably deserved, but another harsh conclusion to a Bishops match for the home
supporters.
Bishops
plans were damaged by Gavin Barton’s late unavailability and when Scott
Richards was also delayed on his way to the match Dale Dunn got the nod to
start.
The
Two Blues could easily have been ahead inside the first minute when a low cross
shot from Fairish on the right was parried by Powell in the Terriers goal and
the ball fell just wide of O’Maloney’s outstretched leg.
On
five minutes it was Porter in Bishops goal keeping the scores level with a near
post shot palmed into the side netting after a defensive mistake.
In
the 17th minutes Bedlington were again on the attack. A cross fell to a forward unmarked at the far
post who hammered in a shot which rebounded off the post. The rebound was fired
in again but blocked by a Bishops defender, and a second rebound shot was
similarly kept out by some frantic defending.
On
26 minutes Hardman gave the ball away on the edge of the Bishops area but
resulting cross was played in to an offside player.
39th
minutes and Porter saved again. The
rebound shot was then hacked away by
Scott
Richards replaced Liam O’Mahoney at half time.
Hardman
made an excellent run on 59 minutes beating several men but the resulting shot
was blocked and Bedlington cleared their lines.
Three minutes later Richards turned on the corner of the area and shot
just over.
Fairish
and Parkin combined well on 63 minutes and Fairish’s shot from a tight angly
flew just wide of the far post.
Amar
Purewal replaced Dale Dunn on 66 minutes, and the big forward added some real
bite up front.
On
67 minutes Hardman again misplaced a pass on the half way line, firing it
straight to a Bedlington forward, but the defence held firm.
Bishops
were awarded a free-kick for a foul on Scott Richards on the edge of the box in
the centre of the goal. Hardman tried to
take it quickly, but fired the ball into a scrum of bodies. The ball rebounded and Bedlington broke fast
but Arjun Purewal neutralised the attack.
Into
injury time and Scott Richards shot from 25 yards. The ball dipped but Powell got a touch and it
looped agonisingly over the bar. There
were over 92 minutes on the clock when Bedlington put in one last attack. More indecisive defending, and after Porter
half saved the original shot Richardson cleared the ball from just in front of
the line and out for a corner.
Nicholson
took the corner and Porter was only able to guide the ball into his own net to
give Bedlington all three points.