Northern League Division 1
31 August, 2009
Team: Peter Jeffries, Andrew Richardson (Joe Grant 88mins), Jake
Richardson, Chris Lawson, Arjun Purewal, Simon Ord (Daniel Lennon 86mins),
Gavin Parkin, Stephen Salvin, Wayne Gredziak, Mark Henson, Darren Richardson
Bishops headed to the
home of the North East’s only franchised club to take on the expensively
assembled
The start came as
something of a surprise and the 2.59pm kick off saw Bishops start the game with
ten men as Wayne Gredziak was off the field adjusting his clothing when the
opening whistle blew.
Clearly Northern League referees also watch “Match of the Day” as the opening moment of note came in the second minute when the Moors’ number 10 leapt theatrically over the advancing Jeffries and received a yellow card for “simulation”.
Six minutes in and a ball across a crowded Bishops six yard box saw the ball hit Chris Lawson’s foot and rebound up onto his arm. A harsh penalty which Toft fired in low to the middle of the net.
Bishops had a penalty shout on 20 minutes when the ball hit a stray Moors arm but no penalty this time.
A free kick for Bishops on the edge of the Moors area on 24 minutes gave Henson a chance to repeat his magic of Saturday but although the shot was on target Spence gathered it comfortably.
27 minutes and Town
doubled the lead when a corner went long past the back post but was hooked back
in for
Things were looking bleak for the Bishops with the highlight of the first half being when the Spennymoor rabble behind the goal forgot the name of their own team during one of their many monotonous chants.
Bishops came into the game as the half wore on. 32 minutes and Parkin unleashed a fierce shot which Spence palmed out to safety. A minute later and Mark Henson found some space on the edge of the area to fire in a low shot which went through a sea of legs and inches wide of the right hand post with Spence beaten.
Moors broke immediately and Jeffries pulled off a good low save to his left.
38 minutes gone and Bishops pulled a goal back. Salvin and Gredziak worked hard to retain the ball on the edge of the area before knocking the ball through to Darren Richardson who rushed the ball and poked it under Spence for 2-1.
Bishops should have been level on the stroke of half time with Salvin blazing an angled shot just inches over the bar.
Kicking down the slope, Bishops more than matched their hosts in the second half. The misfiring Moors only looked dangerous at set piece moves. Two corners on the 48th minute did create some issues for Bishops young defence but Jeffries tipped over the first chance and the second was eventually cleared.
Another Moors chance from a corner on 61 minutes but again Jeffries was up to the task and held a decent shot with ease.
Wayne Gredziak did some great work to dispossess Spence as the ‘keeper failed to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick on 78 minutes but the referee’s assistant wrongly adjudged that the ball had crossed the line before Gredziak turned the ball back goalward from an impossible angle.
Bishops big chance came to grab an unlikely point on 84 minutes. A deep cross found Parkin wide of the far post and the striker crashed a shot across Spence and into the foot of the far post. The ball rebounded to Salvin but he fired over under pressure from a home defender.
Moors worked hard to run the clock down for the final whistle, and ran out narrow winners in this unexpectedly tight battle.
Bemused fans were subjected to a bizarre “Are You Bishops in disguise ?” chant throughout the game from the home supporters. Heads were scratched at this logic defying statement. However, on reflection it is clear that this was in fact a well directed comment at their own team. On the field at least it was difficult to distinguish which club had the long proud history of honours and trophies and which had the large bank balance.