Northern League Division 1
17 October, 2009
Consett 0
: Bishop Auckland 3
Bishop Auckland – Peter Jeffries / Paul Moss / Mark Henson / Wayne Clarke / Allan Reid / Joe Grant (Jonathan Stokell 25 mins) / Chris Lawson / Stephen Salvin / Wayne Gredziak / Tyson Masters / Adam Emson
Subs not used – Ryan Graham / Darren Richardson / Adam Strong / Carl Robinson
After a torrid time against Consett since the return to the Northern League, Bishops got the better of Consett last season and continued this form into the current season with a real thrashing.
On loan Wayne Clarke made his debut for the club with Chris Lawson returning to the starting eleven on yet another sunny Saturday.
Bishops had the first of many first half chances on 18 minutes when Gredziak beat the last defender and with only the ‘keeper to beat the striker got too much height on the lob and Staples was able to retreat to gather the ball at the second attempt.
Two minutes later and Emson was hacked down on the edge of the box by the last defender. No card, and just a free kick which Emson fired just over the bar.
Joe Grant picked up an injury and was replaced by Jonathan Stokell on 25 minutes.
Peter Jeffries was called into action on 28 minutes with a relatively comfortable tip over the bar.
Adam Emson, making a quick return to his former club, brilliantly beat his marker and raced down the left wing before delivering an inch perfect cross which Masters somehow headed over from eight yards.
Chris Lawson gave the ball away on 35 minuted but Jeffries did the necessary to spare the defender’s blushes.
37 minutes and Gredziak had another great chance. An excellent first touch from a through ball but with only the ‘keeper to beat Gredziak fired a low shot which was easily saved.
The striker was again wasteful two minutes later when Staples hit a clearance straight to the No.9 but he weakly and the ‘keeper had no problems picking up the shot.
The chance blitz continued a minute later when Masters took the ball round the ‘keeper but wide and his attempt to slot the ball home was blocked.
A hatful of fantastic chances spurned in the first half, with the obvious comparisons to the Shildon game ten days earlier. Could Bishops match that performance in the second half ?
Half Time: Consett 0 Bishop Auckland 0
Well the answer was clearly yes, as just two minutes into the second half Gredziak slotted a great through ball to Emson who pushed the ball through the ‘keeper’s legs to make it 1-0.
Bishops should have been two up on 53 minutes when the linesman incorrectly flagged for offside as Emson wandered back up field yards away from play as the ball came over the top and Gredziak finished with a well placed lob.
Emson had another chance on 61 minutes when Emson collected the ball 35 yards from goal. He prodded the ball past the advancing ‘keeper and agonisingly wide of the far post.
73 minutes and Emson was again the creator as Bishops won the ball with Consett’s defence upfield. The midfielder’s high cross was chested down by Masters, but the ball went just close enough for Staples to get in and recover the situation.
A minute later and a chance at the other end but again Jeffries did well pushing a near post shot wide.
77 minutes and the game was up. Emson raced into the box and was upended by Staples. Little doubt that this was a penalty, but with no other players within yards of Emson difficult to see how this could not be seen as denying a goalscoring opportunity.
The ‘keeper stayed on the pitch but got nowhere near Salvin’s penalty for 2-0.
Three minutes later, and the grumpy Staples repeated the trick crashing Emson to the ground in the area. Another penalty and this time the red card was produced.
Salvin put the penalty into the same bottom right hand corner for 3-0.
There was still time for Bishops to miss another great chance when Emson found space ten yards from goal but blazed a fierce volley just over the bar.
An excellent win which widens the gap to the bottom of the table, and in the current form we can perhaps start looking upwards for a change.