Northern League Division 1
28 October, 2009
Norton & Stockton
Ancients 2 : Bishop Auckland 3
Bishop Auckland – Peter Jeffries / Arjun Purewal / Jake Richardson / Wayne Clarke / Neil Wilkinson / Paul Moss (Joe Grant 68mins) / Adam Strong (Darren Richardson 48mins) / Steven Salvin / Wayne Gredziak / Tyson Masters / Adam Emson
Subs not used – Carl Robinson / Ryan Graham / Jonathan Stokell
Just seven days on
from Bishops last visit, and another chance against Norton & Stockton
Ancients. No pouring rain tonight, as
Bishops brought in Jake Richardson and Adam Strong for rare starts with Wayne
Clarke also returning. Paul Moss
remained in midfield.
Honours even in the
opening minutes but it was Bishops who carved out the first good chance on ten
minutes. After two corners in quick
succession Moss headed goal wards but the ball was hacked off the line with the
‘keeper stranded.
Five minutes later
and a deep Emson cross from the left found Strong unmarked on the far post but
his effort flew high and wide.
Norton had plenty
of the ball but it was Bishops carving out the big chances and on 20 minutes
the visitors should have taken the lead.
Gredziak dummied the ball through on the half way line and raced round
his defender, muscling through but his low pass to Emson was misplaced and
cleared.
Two minutes later
and Bishops were ahead. Masters beat his
man beautifully just over the half way line and raced forward before crossing
deep to Gredziak. The striker lifted the
ball back over the ‘keeper from deep of the far post to Masters who finished
from close range. A superb goal for 1-0.
On 26 minutes Emson
was flagged offside and from the resulting free kick Norton broke fast but
after a slick passing move Jeffries saved with his legs.
Norton were
pressing now and just after the half hour mark Bishops defenders were forced
into a series of blocks before a low shot which Jeffries did well to save,
pushing round the far post. From the
resulting corner Strong headed off the goal-line and the ball was cleared.
Bishops were
unlucky not to double the lead on 36 minutes when Gredziak again produced some
great work bustling through the home defence before crossing to Emson whose goal
bound side-foot was deflected wide by ‘keeper Briggs’ heel.
Norton again on 38
minutes and a deep cross saw Jeffries chasing shadows and the header across
goal edged just past the far post.
A minute later and
it was Bishops again with Emson beating his man on the left and firing in a
tantalising low cross which took two very small deflections but just enough to
wrong foot Salvin who was unable to force the ball home from close range. From the follow up Gredziak fired just inches
over the bar.
An end to end first
half was nearing its end when Gredziak picked the ball up wide on the half way
line. His long distance cross field pass
found Masters who controlled the ball with his first touch and with his second
slotted the ball with the outside of his boot past the ‘keeper and just inside
the post for 2-0. Another excellent
strike.
In first half
injury time Salvin headed wide from a great position before Arjun Purewal
cleared another Norton effort off the goal line.
A wonderfully
entertaining first half which could have gone either way, but Bishops went in
two goals to the good.
Adam Strong was
replaced by Darren Richardson on 48 minutes.
Bishops couldn’t
get into the game in the second half and Norton pulled a goal back on 62
minutes when Mulligan held off Jake Richardson before finishing with a low shot
for 2-1.
Norton continued to
press and after failing to deal with another difficult cross the ball fell to
Andrews who looped a volley in from a tight angle to make it 2-2. Norton were in control.
Joe Grant replaced
Paul Moss before the game re-started.
Norton looked the
most likely to grab all three points as Bishops battled on, but the Two Blues
should have taken the lead on 82 minutes after Emson was floored in the box. Salvin hit the penalty low to his right but
Briggs saved it comfortably, grabbing the ball gratefully.
A minute later and
another chance for Bishops with Emson curling a shot just wide of the ‘keeper’s
right hand post.
Five minutes to go
and Norton launched a crazed attack which resulted in complete chaos in the
A minute into
injury time and Bishops came close to grabbing the winner when Salvin slotted a
low pass for Masters who fired in a shot which Briggs tipped onto the outside
of the post.
Back up the other
end and Norton won a corner which was headed over the bar from close range.
Four minutes into
injury time and Bishops grabbed all three points when Salvin pushed a low pass
through for Gredziak who held off his man and fired home for a fantastic
winner.
Just time for
Gredziak to get booked for celebrating hard in front of a distraught Norton
defence before the final whistle.