Northern League Division 1
11 August, 2009
Esh Winning 1 : Bishop Auckland 1
Team: Peter Jeffries, Joe Grant, Liam Clough (Chris Lawson 90mins),
Paul Moss, Arjun Purewal, Andrew Richardson, Mark Henson, Stephen Salvin, Wayne
Gredziak, Amar Purewal, Gavin Parkin (Daniel Lennon 64mins)
Weather – clear warm night with some wind
This game represented milestones for both clubs as it was Bishop Auckland’s 2,500th Northern League game and hosts Esh Winning’s 1,000th Northern League game since their reformation in 1968. Mike Amos the respected Journalist and Northern League Chairman made the presentation to both clubs in front of the main stand with both teams and the match officials on the pitch, prior to the kick off. Tony Duffy the Bishop Auckland Secretary proudly accepted the league’s gift followed then by Charlie Ryan the Esh Winning Chairman whom actually played in the clubs first Northern League game back in 1982. Esh Winning had previously been in the Northern League though disbanded for financial problems on the 5th October 1934 after playing only 4 Northern Leagues games that season.
Andrew Richardson made his debut in midfield for the Bishops, this was captain Stephen Salvin’s 150th appearance and it was Paul Moss’s 50th appearance for the Bishops.
Bishop played with a 433 formation throughout the match, and for the first half hour dominated the play, pushing forward at every opportunity though created few clear cut chances. Keeper Peter Jeffries wind assisted first half kicks were a constant headache for the Esh defence. The early Bishop pressure revolved around Wayne Gredziak who forged ahead trying to create space and linked up well with Amar Purewal as both forwards had shots at goal.
In the 32nd minute, Salvin beat two players on the edge of the box and found Amar Purewal in space whom unleashed a powerful low drive that home keeper Dan Molyneux did well to push out for a corner.
In the last 10 minutes of the 1st half, Esh dominated the play and their best chance came in the 37th minute, Craig Coates worked his way past three Bishop defenders to set up Nicholas Gibson whom was unmarked, his powerful shot brought out an instinctive one handed save by Jeffries.
Half Time – Esh Winning 0 Bishop Auckland 0
Second half started evenly matched between the sides, Gredziak again in the thick of it setting up Parkin and Amar Purewal though both failed to find power in their drives. In the 63rd minute Esh Winning took the lead, a Danny Craggs corner found the unmarked left back Robbie Blemings who ran on to powerfully head home from 6 yards out giving Jeffries no chance. Bishop manager Colin Myers immediately took off Gavin Parkin and replaced him with Daniel Lennon.
Bishop Auckland pressed hard for an equaliser and were rewarded with an outstanding goal from Wayne Gredziak, in the 71st minute. He picked up the ball from 40 yards out and sprinted towards goal, shrugging off challenges and then magnificently unleashed a shot from the edge of the box which beat the advancing keeper, a wonderful individual effort and this his 2nd goal in as many games.
The Bishop’s survived another scare two minutes later when Nicky Martin had a goal disallowed for off side after great link up play with Gibson and Coates who was booked for remonstrating with the assistant referee’s decision. On the counter attack Gredziak beat two players and set up Lennon whose tame shot was saved.
In the 77th minute, the Esh defence was under great pressure, substitute Jamie Dawson pushed Stephen Salvin right in view of the referee whom immediately gave a penalty. Gredziak struck the penalty to the keeper’s right at a height where he palmed away and the Esh defence cleared. Amar Purewal and Lennon had further shots at goal though the game ended all square.
Wayne Gredziak undoubtedly the man of the match for the Bishops and it was good to see the Bishops play in an attacking formation.
Esh Winning
1. Dan Molyneux
2. Kieran Megran – booked 78 minutes
3. Robbie Blemings – booked 27 minutes
4. Alex Wilson
5. Stephen Banks – booked 86 minutes
6. Danny Craggs
7. Shaun Gregory – captain – replaced by 15 Paul Richardson 90 mins
8. Ian Ward – replaced by Jamie Dawson 74 minutes
9. Craig Coates – booked 73 minutes
10.
Dane
11. Nicholas Gibson – booked 45 minutes
Substitutes not used –
12 David Fort
13 Stuart Thompson
Referee – D Markham
Assistant Referees – M Andrews / R J Draper