Northern League Division 1
11 April, 2009
Ashington 1 : Bishop
Auckland 0
Team: Peter Jeffries, Arjun Purewal, Kyle Anderson, Martin
Langley (Adam Strong 60mins), Steven West (Darren Richardson 72mins), Joe
Grant, Luke Gilbert, Stephen Salvin, Amar Purewal, Gavin Parkin, Joe Fairish
Bishops first visit to
After their humiliation at
Joe Grant had already been clattered to the floor before Bishops
created their first good chance. Six
minutes and Amar Purewal chased down a back pass to the ‘keeper. The clearance was blocked by the striker, but
the ball flew too wide to get in a shot on the open goal. The cut back to Fairish was hit reasonably
well, but flew past the far post.
Bishops should have led after nine minutes. Kyle Anderson raced down the left wing and
put in a deep cross which Ashington’s No.3 played out for a corner with both
arms. A clear penalty from behind the
goal, but not from where the officials were standing. Fairish put the corner over and Salvin headed
the ball down to Parkin whose shot was cleared off the line by a defender’s
head.
The targeting of Grant in particular continued as the half wore
on. Bishops had three free kicks from
around 25 yards from goal in the space of a few minutes, but all came to
nothing.
Ashington continued their spoiling tactics, but it looked like
the referee was keen to keep his cards in his pocket. Remarkably it was Bishops who picked up the
first yellow. West challenged the home
No.9 on the halfway line and as both players fell injured the referee gave the
home side a dubious free kick and West received a yellow. Once back on his feet the No.9 attempted to
attack the Bishops centre half, but after being held back by team mates got
away with a talking too from the official.
However, seconds later the same player shoved West in the chest and
finally got the card he craved for.
On 40 minutes yet another free kick was fired in and Salvin
flicked on to the advancing Arjun Purewal whose shot was blocked a close range
with a great save from the ‘keeper.
Amar Purewal came close in first half injury time when a long
throw was flicked on by Salvin but the striker’s shot was blocked by a
defender.
55 minutes and Arjun Purewal was making trouble in the
oppositions box again. This time Salvin
set up the defender but his shot was hooked just wide.
2nd Half:
Arjun Purewal heads into the danger area
Bishops best chance of the game came on 59 minutes when Salvin
played in Amar Purewal but with only the ‘keeper to beat he pulled his shot
well wide of the far post.
Strong replaced the injured
On 65 minutes Ashington took an undeserved lead when a low cross
was scrambled in by Cockburn.
Three minutes later and Ashington’s continued indiscretions
worked against them when they were reduced to ten men after a midfieler leapt
into the air to punch a ball clear. A
second yellow was inevitable.
Darren Richardson replaced Steven West on 72 minutes as Bishops
chased the game.
Another clear penalty denied on 76 minutes when Parkin’s cross
into the box was blocked by the outstretched arms of a defender. The referee judged this to be a satisfactory
block under the “ball to hand” non-rule.
The match finished with a demonstration of extreme gamesmanship
from the home side, desperate for the points to secure their first division
status. Finally the referee lost his
patience at the ball being kicked away at every opportunity and took a further
two Ashington names.
Bishops were unable to carve out any chances in the limited play
that was possible between a series of increasingly farcical injury stoppages
and eventually the match staggered to a finish.
Whilst the result was difficult to take given the paucity of the
opposition’s play, results elsewhere kept Bishops out of the bottom three for a
further couple of days at least.