Northern League Division 1

10 October, 2009

 

Bishop Auckland 2 : Bedlington Terriers 1

 

 

Bishop Auckland – Peter Jeffries / Carl Robinson / Jonathan Stokell / Neil Wilkinson / Paul Moss / Simon Ord / Mark Henson / Stephen Salvin / Wayne Gredziak / Tyson Masters / Adam Emson

 

All Subs not used – Adam Strong / Ryan Graham / Jake Richardson / Darren Richardson / Daniel Lennon

 

Bedlington Terriers – Paul Newton / Ben Christenson / Jamie Poole / Michael Hedley / Stuart Elliott / Paul Talbot / Christophe Arsherl (Scott Robson 80 mins) Gareth McAlindon / Lee Ludlow (Anthony Lund 72 mins) Anthony Shandran / Steven Shaw

 

Subs not used (2 only) – Peter Snowden / Steven Bowey

 

Bishop showed real character with a determined second half display to clinch all the points. Adam Emson made his debut up front with Neil Wilkinson returning to the centre of defence. The Bishops kicked off and put the Terriers under pressure when Mark Henson on the left back flipped the ball and played a one two with Wayne Gredziak whom held off his marker and Henson in turn laid the ball on for the oncoming unmarked Tyson Masters whose driving low shot was saved at full stretch by the keeper at his second attempt.

 

In the 9th minute, a long goal kick by Peter Jeffries found Gredziak whom controlled the ball though was pushed as he went to turn and head for goal by Stuart Elliott the Bedlington centre half, Gredziak took the resultant free kick from 25 yards out though his effort flew just over the bar. Two minutes later a Carl Robinson free kick from the right floated into the box with the quick thinking Stephen Salvin advancing in front of his marker to side head the ball which eluded the Terriers defence though flashed past the left hand post.

 

In the 13th minute Simon Ord in the centre of the pitch jumped up to head a high ball with Terriers midfielder Christopher Arsherl whom accidentally elbowed the Bishop midfielder; this was the first of a number of incidents in the first half where Bishop players came off second best to over physical Bedlington challenges. Three minutes later the advancing Mark Henson was brought down on the edge of the penalty area and couldn’t take the resultant free kick as had to leave the field of play after receiving treatment from the physio. Adam Emson stepped up to powerfully swing the free kick agonizingly wide of the goal.

 

Bedlington’s first real attack came in the 16th minute, Anthony Shandran weaved his way past three Bishop players to find Lee Ludlow on the left wing, his cross was powerfully headed by Arsherl and Peter Jeffries pushed the ball out for a corner. Jeffries caught Gareth McAlindon’s corner and punted his trademark long goal kick deep into the Bedlington half which Gredziak chased and won and set up Emson whom at made up so much ground though his drive from the left just inside the box flashed pasted the far post.

 

Five minutes later Shandran swung his arms when receiving the ball in the centre of the pitch and he subsequently caught the young Carl Robinson full in the face for which the referee instantly blew for a foul and incredibly just spoke to the Bedlington forward.

 

For the next quarter of an hour it was all Bedlington whom laid siege on the Bishop goal with Shandran in particular terrorising the Bishops defence. On 26 minutes, Shandran carved open the Bishop defence and played a superb through ball down the centre of the box which Arsherl ran on to and attempted to lob the advancing Jeffries whom instinctively parried the lob with his outstretched left hand and Robinson cleared the danger.

 

The Terriers pressure paid off as they went in front in the 26th minute, Shandran played a one two with Arsherl and advanced forward shrugging off two challenges to drive the ball home from 12 yards out and this a deserved goal for the effective Bedlington forward in an outstanding first half display. Two minutes later Elliott drove a ball downfield which Shandran picked up to weave his way past three Bishop players and saw his shot fly over the bar from 25 yards out.

 

Moments later Bedlington broke away again with Talbot finding Shandran on the left, he made his way up to goal when his cross come shot hit the side netting from close range. A Gareth McAlindon cross was headed by Shandran which Jeffries saved well in the 32nd minute, two minutes later Elliott punted another cross for Shandran who set up Arsherl and his low 12 yard drive was again well saved by Jeffries.

 

In a rare Bishop attack on 37 minutes, Salvin on the left played in Ord whose cross was back headed by Terriers central defender Hedley, and Masters pounced onto the loose ball though shot wide from an acute angle. Two minutes later Jeffries goal kick found Masters whom turned his marker and saw his 30 yard drive well saved by the keeper.

 

Bishops had now weathered the storm and began to search for an equaliser, Salvin found Gredziak on the right and he motored forward beating two defenders in his path and floated a cross over the top of the Terriers defence to find the unmarked Masters whose control was excellent though he couldn’t stop the ball dead and spun round under pressure 360 degrees and his shot was blocked and cleared by the Bedlington defence. On the counter attack Elliott and Ludlow combined to set up Shandran who was just inside the penalty area and his shot flashed past the post with Wilkinson closing in on him. From Jeffries goal kick he found Gredziak on the edge of the Terriers box and he set up the advancing Salvin whose 25 yard pile driver of a shop bounced off the bar. 

 

Two minutes before half time after a series of off the ball altercations by centre half Elliott on Gredziak, the assistant referee flagged for the referee’s attention to report Elliott’s misdemeanours and he was booked though I think anyone witnessing Elliott’s antics could have mistakenly thought they were watching a pantomime act. I’m surprised that Perry Briggs the Bedlington coach whom was a excellent central defender in his playing days didn’t remonstrate with his centre half. From the resultant free kick taken by Robinson it was met by Henson whose header was pushed over the bar by the keeper.

 

Half Time – Bishop Auckland 0 Bedlington Terriers 1 

 

Bedlington started the second half the brighter with Shandran making probing runs into the Bishop area. On 47 minutes, Talbot advanced forward to find Ludlow whose cross was headed over by Arsherl. 6 minutes later Ludlow chased a long ball forward though and clearly tugged Robinson’s shirt for which the referee blew for a free kick and Ludlow was booked for dissent for questioning the referee’s decision.

 

In the 53rd minute Arsherl threaded a ball through the centre of the Bishop’s defence to Ludlow whose close range shot was blocked by Jeffries and Paul Moss cleared. From this the Bishops began to gain a hold on the game as the Terriers players seemed to be tiring.

 

Three minutes later Simon Ord looped a ball over the top of the Bedlington midfield which Masters cleverly sold his marker advanced forward at speed and drove his shot just wide on the edge of the box.

 

In the 61st minute the advancing Wilkinson drove in a cross deep inside the Bedlington 6 yard box which Hedley back headed and the keeper dived to stop the ball from going out for a corner though the assistant referee flagged for a corner with the referee much closer to the incident. Henson’s corner found Emson whose movement off the ball helped evade him from his marker though his header was well saved.

 

A minute later the Bishop’s got a deserved equaliser, Elliott whilst in possession could only punt the ball forward to Henson whom saw Emson at the left hand post and the debutant made no mistake skilfully controlling the ball and knocking into an empty net from close range.

 

Peter Jeffries was once again called into action in the 64th minute when he instinctively parried a close range Poole shot as the Bishops keeper must have been unsighted in a crowed penalty box.

 

The Bishops continued to drive forward in search of another goal, on 66 minutes Gredziak broke away with the ball on the edge of the Terriers box, he dummied a back heal to Emson which totally fooled the two Bedlington defenders as they followed Emson and this left Gredziak with space though his shot was well saved.

 

Two minutes later Jonathan Stockell floated in a left wing cross which Gredziak was first to though fired across the face of goal and both Bishop full backs advanced forward with searching crosses.

 

Salvin, Ord, Gredziak and Masters all had further chances in a sustained attack on the Terriers goal. In the 79th minute Henson on the edge of the box was felled by Poole and curiously once again the referee failed to book the culprit.

 

Patient Bishop took a well deserved lead in the 82nd minute, Tyson Masters on the half way line brilliantly stopped a Jeffries clearance in mid-air and whilst the ball was dropping he clinically turned and passed a ball of sheer excellence to the advancing Simon Ord whom had timed his run to perfection beating the off side trap, leaving the Terriers back four for dead and then easily rounded the late advancing keeper to fire home just inside the area for what was a the match winning goal.

 

Once again there were many good performances from the Bishop players, Adam Emson settled straight into the side and ran up and down the field all game as the Bishop players fitness was the driving force behind the win. Peter Jeffries kept the Bishops in the game with some excellent saves especially in the first half as all the players are setting the standards for which we are all expecting to see every week. This result will raise many eyebrows amongst  the Northern League fraternity.

 

Final Score – Bishop Auckland 2 Bedlington Terriers 1

 

Adam Emson 62 mins            Anthony Shandran 26 mins

Simon Ord 82 mins

 

Bookings

 

Mark Henson 48 mins             Stuart Elliott 43 mins

                                            Lee Ludlow 53 mins

 

 

Fixtures and Results