FA Vase 2^nd Qualifying Round

19 September, 2009

Hall Road Rangers 3 : Bishop Auckland 0

Bishop Auckland – Peter Jeffries / Arjun Purewal (Carl Robinson 20mins) / Jake Richardson / Chris Lawson / Neil Wilkinson / Andrew Richardson / Adam Strong / Steven Salvin / Wayne Gredziak / Mark Henson (Darren Richardson 67mins) / Gavin Parkin

Subs not used – Paul Moss, Daniel Lennon, Steven West

Bishops returned to Hall Road for the second visit of the season after running out comfortable winners in the opening encounter. Bishops were boosted by the late availability of Stephen Salvin but Tuesday night’s man of the match Joe Grant received a very late call-up from Durham County and was unavailable. Arjun Purewal passed a late fitness test to take his place in the starting team.

The match was played on a warm and sunny day on the excellent Dene Park surface.

As in the previous encounter it was the home side who made the early running. Four minutes in and Tinkler unleashed a fierce shot which Jeffries saved well, pushing the ball out for a corner.

From the resulting flag kick the ball rebounded off Andrew Richardson and into the Bishops net for 1-0.

1^st Half: Opening goal as the corner heads for the far post

Following the goal there was a long delay while the goal net was crocheted back into some shape after a large hole was identified.

Twelve minutes on the clock and Bishops had a chance when Salvin won a header in the box and Henson fired in a shot which was blocked.

Bishops should have been two down on 20 minutes when some crazy defending allowed another chance which was fired just over the bar.

Arjun Purewal limped off to be replaced by Carl Robinson on 20 minutes.

Parkin was fouled 25 yards from goal on 22 minutes but Henson’s free kick was comfortably saved by Fraser in the Hall Road goal.

The home side continued to squander chances and on 26 minutes Jeffries was forced into another good save after a defensive mistake.

Gavin Parkin came close to equalising on 35 minutes when his low shot was deflected but Fraser made a good save to keep the ball out.

1^st Half: All eyes on the ball as Gredziak leaps

2-0 on 43 minutes when the referee missed the ball being knocked down with an arm just over the half way line before being played through to Palmer who lashed it home as the Auckland defence waited for the whistle.

In injury time Gredziak missed a great chance to pull one back when he delayed shooting on a one on one and was caught by a retreating defender. Six minutes into injury time and Henson had a shot blocked by the ‘keeper and the sides went in at 2-0.

Jeffries was again in action on 49 minutes with a good flying save at the near post to keep out a shot from McGarry.

Gredziak and Strong combined on 52 minutes but the chance drifted without a shot being made. Andrew Richardson prodded a shot through a crowded area on 58 minutes but Fraser saved the shot. Salvin picked up the rebound wide on the left but pulled the ball back over the bar from a tight angle.

Hall Road should have settled the tie on 59 minutes when Palmer side-footed wide of the open goal after a cross beat Jeffries and what was left of the Bishops defence.

Bishops continued to search for a way back into the game and Parkin fired in a hot shot on 60 minutes which was well blocked by the home defence. A minute later and Parkin had another chance with a one on one which clipped the ‘keeper’s heel and deflected just wide of the post.

62 minutes and Fraser tried and failed to collect a high ball into the box. The ball spiralled up and dropped just in front of the goalline but Salvin was beaten in the air and the ball was cleared.

65 minutes and Parkin’s run across the area was ended with a brutal scything tackle which deserved more than a yellow. From the free kick the ball broke in the area to Salvin who thundered a shot against the post. This looked like it was going to be one of those days.

Henson was substituted on 67 minutes. The midfielder received some long treatment at the end of the first half and a kick to the head ended his afternoon. Darren Richardson replaced.

Chaotic scenes in the Hall Road area but Fraser tipped the ball over the bar on 72 minutes. Salvin glanced a header just wide on 78 minutes.

Jeffries was forced into another good save on 79 minutes but could do nothing as Hall Road added a third on 81 minutes and the game was up.

Manager Colin Myers kept the players on the field for a de-brief on the final whistle allowing the home team to be applauded off by the Bishops supporters who made up the majority of the crowd. When the apologetic Bishops players left the field a couple of minutes later it was them applauding the Bishops support after a thoroughly miserable afternoon.

Fixtures and Results