2009/10 Season Friendlies

July 2009

 

Willington 0 : Bishop Auckland 7

 

With both sides out of the County Cup Bishops returned to Willington for a friendly.

 

Bishops managed to use both ‘keepers with Jeffries playing for Willington in the first half and Bishops in the second, and Ryan Graham doing the opposite.  Jake Richardson also had a game for the home team.

 

No Salvin, Moss, Gredziak, Masters or Emson so a good opportunity for the regular substitutes and a couple coming back from injury.

 

Amar Purewal hit the post before Joe Grant opened the scoring on 29 minutes with Darren Richardson adding a second on 38 minutes.  Adam Strong added the third just after the break.

 

The final minutes of the game were a frantic affair as goals came from Darren Richardson on 80 minutes then Amar Purewal scored the fifth on 83 minutes.

 

Kit man Michael Walker had a run out in the second half missing a number of chances before getting the ball in the net on 89 minutes for what was later confirmed as the sixth before Darren Richardson completed the scoring just before the final whistle.

 

 

Marske United 1 : Bishop Auckland 2

 

Bishops completed their pre-season preparations with a 100% friendly record after winning 2-1 at Marske United.

 

Amar Purewal put Bishops into an early lead on 7 minutes, heading home a Gavin Parkin corner.

 

The second goal came from Wayne Gredziak who backheeled home from an Amar Purewal pass just before the interval.

 

Midway through the second half Marske pulled a goal back from the penalty spot.

 

Amar Purewal and Darren Richardson both missed good chances before the game ended.

 

 

Bishop Auckland 3 : Washington 2

 

Two early Washington goals left Bishops with a mountain to climb in the latest pre-season match, played at Sacriston.

 

After 15 minutes this looked like Bishops first pre-season defeat, but Gavin Pakin hit back with a deflected shot just after the half hour mark.

 

Stephen Salvin equalised very soon after to make the score 2-2.

 

Early in the second half Daniel Lennon scored his second winning goal of pre-season to make it 3-2.

 

 

 

Easington CW 1 : Bishop Auckland 4

 

Bishops blitzed Wearside League Easington CW with some clinical finishing which brought four goals in 17 first half minutes.

 

Easington started well and caused some problems for Bishops defence on a bright Summer afternoon on the East Durham coast.  Jeffries made one decent save and two further attempts were screwed wide of the target.

 

However, it was Bishops who opened the scoring on 26 minutes when Gredziak crossed for Parkin to head home unchallenged.

 

Three minutes later and Parkin ran through the defence on a one-on-one.  The striker rounded the keeper but was driven wide, so cut the ball back to Amar Purewal who finished from close range.

 

On 40 minutes Gredziak continued his goalscoring form when Salvin put in a fierce low cross for the striker to fire home on the volley for 3-0.

 

Just before half time Gredziak fired home a fourth from another good Parkin cross.

 

 Half time was a noisy affair, with a flypast from the Avro Vulcan on its way to the Sunderland Airshow.

 

Manager Colin Myers threw on a number of substitutes at half time and early in the second half.

 

Paul Moss had a goal ruled out on 53 minutes when he was adjudged to have climbed before heading home.

 

Easington scored a consolation on 71 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Bishop Auckland 4 : Brandon United 0

 

On the day after the torrential rains, Bishops were lucky enough to be playing on the artificial pitch at the Bobby Robson Centre at Ushaw Moor.

 

The match started about 25 minutes late and with Bishops still awaiting several players.  Darren Richardson had the first good chance when he lashed the ball just over the bar from a tight angle in the opening minutes.

 

Gredziak arrived late but joined the battle on 20 minutes.  His first touch was to bundle the ball into the net to open the scoring after Paul Moss clipped the ball over the Brandon defence for Daniel Lennon to fire in a low shot which was fumbled by the Brandon ‘keeper.

 

On 31 minutes Bishops doubled the lead when Gredziak again made a nuisance of himself in the box.  His shot hit the post but rebounded to Parkin who fired home from 12 yards to make it 2-0.

 

Bishops came out on fire in the second half.  On 47 minutes some slick passing tore open the United defence and Strong fired home for 3-0. 

 

A minute later and a good pass through a haphazard Brandon defence left Bishops with a 3 on 1 situation and Strong drew the only defender before passing to Gredziak who passed the ball past the ‘keeper and into the net.

 

The only other incident of note was the removal of the Brandon United ‘keeper from the field after the referee grew tired of his incessant complaining, sarcasm and general abuse.  Brandon played the remaining few minutes with an outfield player in goal while Bishops threw on a series of trialists.

 

 

 

Darlington RA 2 : Bishop Auckland 3

 

A Friday Night visit to Darlington to take on Darlington RA.  A number of predominantly junior trialists were added to the squad for the match against Northern League Division 2 opposition.

 

Bishops made a strong start with a strong starting line up, but RA took the lead on eight minutes when a low cross was well saved initially but forced home at the second attempt.

 

Wayne Gredziak scored his first goal for the club on 21 minutes.  A nice chip over the top of the defensive line from Fairish was fired home by Gredziak from twelve yards.

 

The striker scored again on 40 minutes when Parkin took the ball down the right wing and delivered a perfect cross for Gredziak to head home from eight yards to make it 2-1.

 

A series of substitutions at half time and early in the second half resulted in a Bishops side comprising Paul Moss, Stephen Salvin, Martin Langley and eight trialists.  RA equalised on 70 minutes when the ball was scrambled in from close range after the ‘keeper fumbled.

 

Bishops missed a couple of decent chances before Daniel Lennon scored the winner on 89 minutes with a well taken shot across the ‘keeper and into the far corner.

 

 

 

Willington 0 : Bishop Auckland 3

 

Bishops ran out easy winners in the first of five pre-season friendlies at Willington today.  The match was played on an extremely hot sunny July day.  Bishops team contained new signings Clough and Richardson as well as a few trialists and some of the regular faces from 2008/9.

 

The home side were immediately under pressure and had survived an early penalty shout before Gavin Parkin opened Bishops account for the season in the 5th minute when he lobbed the ball over the advancing keeper from a ball over the top.

 

Parkin makes it 1-0 will a well executed lob on 5 minutes.

 

 

 Bishops attacked constantly for the opening 20 minutes and Mark Henson was unlucky not to double the lead when he cut inside his market to fire in a curling shot which cannoned off the far post.

 

On 27 minutes it was 2-0 with Parkin cutting the ball back across the 18 yard box to Henson who let the ball run before firing in low across and past the ‘keeper.

 

1st Half:  Jeffries punches clear from a rare Willington attack

 

 

Bishops added  a third on 57 minutes when Joe Grant made an excellent run and passed to Parkin who unselfishly knocked the ball on to Richardson who struck the ball home from ten yards.

 

Parkin hit the bar on 62 minutes and Neil Wilkinson, enjoying a run out in the forward line, missed a couple of decent chances later in the game as both teams used their substitutes.

 

All in all a good run out to start the pre-season programme.  Bishops visit Darlington RA on Friday.

 

 

 

Fixtures and Results