Northern League Division 1

21 February, 2009

 

Chester le Street 5 : Bishop Auckland 2

 

 

Team: Callum Proudlock, Joe Grant, Paul Moss, Arjun Purewal, Martin Langley, Stephen Salvin, Amar Purewal, Gavin Parkin, Gavin Barton, Joe Fairish (Lewis Hardman 28mins), Darren Richardson

 

Sloppy defending gifted Chester le Street a handful of goals and condemned Bishops to another defeat on the road.  Joe Grant made his first start in defence with Kyle Anderson unavailable.  Stephen Salvin returned to the midfield.

 

Honours were even until the 23rd minute when poor defending and a slice of bad luck handed the home side the lead.  A punt up field was flicked on through the midfield and a dummy left a Chester forward in a one on one situation.  Proudlock made the initial save, but the ball spun back and into space to allow a tap in for 1-0.

 

Bishops resources were stretched when Joe Fairish suffered a hamstring injury on 28 minutes, and Lewis Hardman replaced him in midfield.

 

A minute later and it was 2-0.  Again poor defending left Proudlock facing the forwards alone.  Again he made the save, but the ball hit has body and again fell to an unmarked Chester player to tap in.

 

On 34 minutes a Darren Richardson free kick rebounded out to Salvin who lashed a shot into the side netting.

 

Bishops grabbed a goal back on 39 minutes when Amar Purewal outmuscled a defender and turned to curl a shot into the far top corner from a tight angle over the stranded ‘keeper.

 

However, Bishops were only back in the game for minutes.  On 44 minutes a soft free kick was blasted into the box by Chester midfielder.  Another flick and the ball was hooked into the net at the far post with a decent finish.

 

Just before half time Amar Purewal pushed the ball behind the defenders for Richardson to run on to, but his shot was blocked at point blank range by the home ‘keeper.

 

Bishops started the second half well and on 51 minutes reduced the deficit again.  A free kick was flicked on by Salvin and Richardson volleyed the ball hard into the ground and towards the ball.  The ball leapt and with the help of a defender’s shin looped into the net to make it 3-2.

 

However, once again the benefit of the goal was eradicated in minutes.  On 54 minutes a free kick for offside deep in the Chester half was humped forward by the goalkeeper.  One bounce, one touch and the ball was in the back of the Bishops net for 4-2.

 

Bishops kept attacking, but nothing really broke in the box.  On 71 minutes two decent goal bound efforts were blocked by defenders legs and both times the ball rebounded safely.

 

The game was up on 73 minutes.  The final goal came from a Bishops throw thirty yards from the Chester goal.  The throw in went to an opposition player who lumped it up and over the Bishops static defence resulting in a simple tap in just seconds later.

 

There continued to be chances at both ends as first Salvin headed inches wide.  Ten minutes to go, and Chester were appealing for a penalty after a dive that looked more at home in the Olympic pool than at Chester Moor.  Moss powered a shot into the side netting on 83 minutes from a tight angle.  On 86 minutes Proudlock made a good save then cleared the follow up shot off the goal line with his feet.

 

The two sides meet again in ten days time.

 

 

 

 

Fixtures and Results