Northern League Division 1
9 March, 2010
Bishop Auckland 2 :
Bishop Auckland – Peter Jeffries / Steven Turnbull / Thomas Blackett / Wayne Clarke / Arjun Purewal / Joe Grant / Adam Strong / Steven Salvin / Wayne Gredziak / Simon Ord / Adam Emson
Subs not used – Amar Purewal, Ryan Graham, Darren Richardson, Harry Drummond, Jake Richardson
Bishops welcomed back Joe Grant into the team for the visit
of league leaders
The match took place on a mild March evening and Bishops started with some electric moves.
Two minutes were on the clock and the home side missed a great chance to take an early advantage. After good work on the left, Emson crossed low to Strong who blazed over the goal from ten yards.
In the fourth minute another great chance when a corner drifted over and fell to Emson who was only able to fire a weak shot at Turns in the Town goal.
Spennymoor looked dangerous down the flanks but Bishops defended tenaciously to stop the crosses and it was again Bishops looking like scoring with Grant driving the ball goalwards from distance on 19 minutes only for Turns to tip round the post.
The opening goal came on 20 minutes when the ball dropped to Simon Ord 25 yards from goal. The midfielder unleashed a thunderbolt which flew into the right hand side of the goal to make it 1-0.
Town should have equalised on 25 minutes when after some good interplay Emms found himself clear on goal but he tamely chipped the ball into the grateful Jeffries hands.
More good work from Bishops on 32 minutes as Salvin passed to Grant who fed the ball through to Strong wide on the right. The midfielder cut a low cross back to Gredziak who was lurking near the penalty spot, but his shot was mis-hit and rolled wide of the far post.
A minute later and Bishops had the Town goal under siege. Three separate shots from Emson, Salvin and Ord were all blocked by flying striped bodies before Town broke quickly but Bishops dealt with the attack.
A great chance for Town on 43 minutes with a low cross fired across the face of goal, but there was nobody on hand to deliver a finishing touch.
Emson almost doubled the lead on the stroke of half time when Joe Grant won a midfield duel before slotting the ball through to the advancing Emson who toed the ball just too high and wide to trouble the ‘keeper.
Half Time Score – Bishop Auckland 1
Bishops came out strong again after the break and were unlucky not to score on 46 minutes when Emson cut inside to fire a shot which deflected off a defender’s foot just inches over.
From the resulting corner the ball went deep to Salvin who nudged the ball back into the box. Arjun Purewal, with his back to goal, lifted the ball back up and over his shoulder. The ball looped up and over Turns and slipped just under the bar and into the net to make it 2-0.
The second goal sent Town into turmoil and Bishops midfield was bossing the park and giving Strong, Emson and Gredziak the ammunition to fire at the Town goal.
58 minutes and Grant fed Emson who blasted a low shot which hit the ‘keeper’s body and deflected to safety.
Four minutes later and Ord unleashed another strong 25 yard shot which was well saved by Turns. A minute later and it was Grant shooting from range with Turns gathering cleanly with Gredziak and Strong waiting to pick up the pieces.
The league leaders were giving Bishops few troubles, but as time wore on the Bishops defended a littler deeper. The visitors lifeline came on 88 minutes when an incorrectly awarded free kick on the half way line was lumped into the box and Tynon shot home from close range.
Despite seven minutes of injury time there were no further scares with Bishops running the clock down in the corners of the Spennymoor half before the final whistle blew.
Rumours had circulated earlier in the week that the two teams were planning to swap strips in aid of Sports Relief. Some left the ground wondering if they had, as Bishops made a mockery of Spennymoor’s league position to record a worthy victory.
Full Time Score – Bishop Auckland 2
Simon Ord 20 mins Matthew Tynon 88 mins
Arjun Purewal 47 mins
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