Northern League Division 1
24 April, 2010
Bishop Auckland 3 :
Bishop Auckland – Ryan Graham / Steven Turnbull / Tom Blackett / Wayne Clarke / Steven West (Arjun Purewal 71 mins) / Simon Ord (Harry Drummond 72 mins)/ Adam Strong (Darren Richardson 73mins) / Stephen Salvin / Wayne Gredziak / Joe Grant / Adam Emson
Several changes from Wednesday night as Ryan Graham made his first start in goal, Steven West in for his first game in eight months and Stephen Salvin, Steven Turnbull and Adam Strong all back in.
The match was played on a sunny day on a bone hard pitch.
Morpeth made the first chance of the game when Carl Thorp volleyed smartly but Graham dived to push the ball over the bar with a strong hand.
Both teams struggled to play much football in the opening exchanges the game swung into dramatic life on 21 minutes.
Bishops were on the attack and Emson was fouled just as he was about to shoot. As a result his shot flew up and hit the bar, rebounding to Joe Grant. With shouts for a penalty still ringing out the Grant was unceremoniously shoulder charged to the ground by Alex Lawson which made the spot kick award very simple.
Emson, back on penalty duty in an attempt to lift the league’s top scorer award, slotted home the penalty.
Just three minutes later and an excellent flick over the defence to a charging Strong who passed to Gredziak who passed to Emson. The midfielder was advancing across goal just inside the box when a Stephen Warwick inexplicably grabbed hold of him and held on. Another really decision for the officials, and a second penalty.
Emson again took the spot kick to make it 2-0.
On 27 minutes there was an opportunity to even things up and Wayne Clarke was adjudged to have fouled in the box and Derek Atwell converted the third penalty in six minutes.
Immediately Bishops hit back and after a foul on Gredziak, Grant curled in a free kick. Gredziak ghosted in and beat the ‘keeper Wells to the ball, prodding it under his body to make it 3-1.
36 minutes and Gredziak came close to intercepting a back pass, but the ‘keepers clearance rebounded off the striker and out for a corner.
Morpeth pulled a goal back on 38 minutes when Bryson headed home unchallenged from close range from a cross from the right.
Just on half time and Clarke was dispossessed by Thorp but the striker blazed yards wide.
Half Time Score – Bishop Auckland 3
Bishops totally dominated the second half without scoring, missing a string of chances, and wasting more trying to set up Adam Emson for more goals.
On 48 minutes some excellent interplay just outside the box and Joe Grant raced through towards goal. ‘Keeper Wells forced the midfielder wide but Grant squeezed a shot in from an impossible angle which looked like it was going to bobble in before being hacked off the goal line.
56 minutes and Ryan Graham pulled off a good save after
Barrie Smith broke well through an unsure
On 59 minutes Gredziak played in what was almost a perfect ball across to Strong who was just beaten to the ball by the ‘keeper.
A minute later and Strong was again fed the ball. He lobbed a shot which hit the face of the bar. The midfielder reacted quickly but his follow up shot was tame. Wells had committed himself but whilst lying on the ground was able to reach back behind himself and pick the ball up just before it reached the line.
Emson tried his luck a minute later pushing the ball round the last defender, but he couldn’t quite deliver the speed to collect the rebound.
On 64 minutes Salvin picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and fired a great shot which bounced wickedly in front of the ‘keeper but he managed to adjust and palm it round the post.
A minute later and Emson crossed from wide on the left. Strong headed but the ball hit the post and rebounded back out past Gredziak.
Morpeth broke quickly and won a corner which was headed into the net but disallowed for a foul. Surely a warning that Bishops needed to settle this match with another goal.
Two minutes later and Gredziak curled in a corner from the right which Turnbull headed deep at the far post. The ball was going in until another goal line clearance.
Bishops won an outrageous corner after West rose highest and headed over the bar. Morpeth protested. A minute later Bishops won a legitimate corner. Morpeth’s Alex Lawson lost the plot picking the ball up and racing towards the referee in a psychotic rage. Although he pulled out of blasting the ball at the official, the damage was done and he was sent from the field with a second yellow card.
On 71 minutes Steven West was replaced by Arjun Purewal.
72 minutes and Emson was fed the ball on the left. Forced wide he fired in a low cross shot which flew across goal just inches from the line. Gredziak was unable to administer a final touch as the ball flew along and away.
Two more substitutes as Drummond replaced Ord on 72 minutes and Darren Richardson replaced Strong on 73 minutes.
Inevitably after missing so many chances Morpeth equalised on 85 minutes when Bryson again rose unchallenged to head home.
Despite that late setback, Bishops should still have gone on to win the game.
86 minutes and Adam Emson was charging through the middle. He had his arm held and pulled as he made progress through the box and as a result couldn’t reach the ball to fire it into the net. Surely a penalty, but not given.
On 88 minutes Darren Richardson got the ball on the right and fired in an excellent shot which Wells saved brilliantly low to his right.
Then on 90 minutes Emson found Gredziak with his back to goal. He turned his man and fired in a shot which took a slight deflection and looped into the net, but he was adjudged to have been offside when he received the ball despite appearing to have a defender behind him throughout the move.
A match which Bishops should have won comfortably, and the two points dropped could well deny Bishops a top half finish. For the visitors, a single point still leaves them as almost certain for relegation.
In terms of the leagues top scorers, Emson’s brace did
little to enhance his chances of being the league’s top scorer as Alex Benjamin
also scored two for Ashington and
Full Time Score – Bishop Auckland 3 Morpeth Town 3
Adam
Emson 21 & 25 mins Derek Atwell 27 mins
Wayne
Gredziak 29 mins Peter
Bryson 38 & 85 mins,
Video
clips on............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qncwP4Ffy5Q