Northern League Division 1
2 March, 2010
Horden CW 0
: Bishop Auckland 2
Bishop Auckland – Peter Jeffries / Chris Lawson / Simon Ord / Wayne Clarke / Arjun Purewal / Joe Grant (Darren Richardson 85mins) / Amar Purewal (Adam Strong 78mins) / Stephen Salvin / Wayne Gredziak / Harry Drummond (Steven Turnbull 58mins) / Adam Emson
Subs not used – Thomas Blackett, Jake Richardson
After another weather enforced break Bishops returned to action on a cold and increasingly icy night at Horden.
Bishops created the first chance of the game when a ball into the box was spilled and Amar Purewal lifted the ball up over the prostrate ‘keeper but the shot was cleared by a defender.
Horden were next to look dangerous but Bishops ‘keeper Jeffries was in fine form and blocked a shot at close range on 18 minutes. The ball went out for a corner which was lifted in then cleared off the line by Arjun Purewal.
A minute later and Jeffries again did well to deal with a hard low shot across his body, diving full length to gather the ball with ease.
After a long spell of dissapointing play Bishops almost took the lead on 40 minutes. Gredziak chested the ball forward to Emson whose twisting run beat two defenders before his low shot hit a defender’s heel and squirted wide.
Emson missed another chance on the stroke of half time, but all in all a poor half which the home side probably just edged.
Half Time Horden CW 0 Bishop Auckland 0
The second half started quietly. Turnbull replaced the booked Drummond on 58 minutes.
Bishops finally started to exert some pressure and took the lead on 63 minutes. Ord played a high ball down the left wing to Emson who raced into the box before slotting a fine low cross to Gredziak who tapped home from three yards.
Bishops top scorer almost doubled the lead on 70 minutes when Grant lifted a ball into the box and Gredziak looped a header over the ‘keeper but over the bar.
Two minutes later and Turnbull crossed to Salvin whose flick header found Emson on the far post but his low shot was saved by the ‘keeper’s feet.
However, from the save the ball broke quickly into Bishops half but Jeffries advanced out of his box and used his feet to hit the ball clear.
Adam Strong replaced the injured Amar Purewal on 78 minutes.
Bishops settled the game on 83 minutes when Wayne Gredziak headed the ball over the back line to Adam Emson who lashed home at the near post from 15 yards to make it 2-0.
Joe Grant limped off on 85 minutes to be replaced by Darren Richardson, making his first appearance since his November injury.
Into injury time and Bishops were denied a cast iron penalty when Emson had his legs swept out from under him in a crowded area.
The match finished in high farce as the ball was hit high into Bishops area deep into injury time. Jeffries rose to collect the ball but was whacked into by a forward and the ball spilled out into the goal.
The referee blew the whistle and waved his arm vaguely, and before anyone could determine whether he had awarded a free kick or a goal he blew the whistle for full time.
Bemused spectators left the ground still unsure as to what the final score was. The result was confirmed by the referee in the tunnel after most had left the ground.
A good result which lifts Bishops up to 14th and an increasingly comfortable 13 points above the relegation places.
Final Score Horden CW 0 Bishop Auckland 2
Gredziak 63 mins
Emson 83 mins