Northern League Division 1
21 August, 2010
Dunston UTS 3 :
Bishop Auckland 1
Bishop Auckland –Peter Jeffries / Steven Turnbull / Tom Blackett (Wayne Gredziak 56mins) / Wayne Clarke / Chris Lawson / Simon Ord / Adam Strong (Arran Wearmouth 70mins) / Stephen Salvin / Gavin Barton / Mark Henson / Adam Emson (Michael Fort 70mins)
With John Hutton on holiday and Wayne Gredziak carrying an injury, Steven Turnbull returned to defence and Gavin Barton returned to the starting line-up on a bright and breezy day in Dunston.
Bishops made a decent start kicking into the wind and almost took the lead on 11 minutes when Emson shot a ball through past Barton who raced on but his low shot was blocked at close range by the Dunston ‘keeper.
From the corner the ball was partially cleared, but came back in towards Emson who fired a shot just over the bar.
19 minutes and a big throw form Dunston was flicked back across the box by a stretching Bishops defender to a UTS forward in the clear, but Jeffries pulled off a superb point blank save to keep the scores level.
A superb run from Adam Strong who beat three men down the right wing running from deep inside the Bishops half to level with the box before crossing deep to Emson. The ball was just too long and Emson’s cut back across the box was cut out.
Seconds later and from a long throw Barton flicked to Emson who turned and shot but the ball was blocked by a covering defender.
Whilst Bishops did look strong going forward they also looked vulnerable at the back and there were warning bells ringing when a hump over the top saw Bishops defence out of position and chasing back but Chris Lawson stretched a long leg to deny Bulford on 21 minutes.
Another chance a minute later as this time Jeffries was gifted the ball from an awful attempted lob from Preen with the goal at his mercy.
On 26 minutes Bishops were on the attack, but were caught out by a quick break which saw Blackett dispossessed but again it was Lawson who got back to save the day, clearing for a corner. The first corner was flicked out for another flag kick by Salvin, and from this ball into the box Clarke headed off the line.
Enough warnings, but Bishops were behind on 28 minutes when a Turnbull error let UTS in and some slick passing ended with Bulford firing home from just inside the box giving Jeffries no chance.
Bishops could have been level on 37 minutes when a Dunston defender handled the ball clear from near to the penalty spot. Henson forced the ball back into the danger area to Strong, but the midfielder was unable to force in a shot.
Again UTS countered with a quick break which saw Jeffries saving. Soon after a free kick awarded after Ord handled wide on the right was flicked off the line and Dunston ended the half on top.
HT: Dunston UTS 1 : Bishop Auckland 0
The wind which had helped UTS in the first half dropped after the interval. No great activity until the game ending incident on 54 minutes.
Lawson had a nibble at a Dunston forward just outside the box. The forward stayed on his feet long enough to stumble into the box and fall as the defender challenged again. Penalty and a yellow card for Lawson.
Jeffries saved a weak central penalty but Dunston forwards reacted first and Preen bundled the ball in from the left of the six yard box to make it 2-0.
Colin Myers replaced defender Tom Blackett with Wayne Gredziak on 56 minutes but the attacking gamble didn’t pay off and on the hour a ball across from the right was hit against the upright by Preen, and the forward was in place when the ball came back into the box to tap in from close range to make it 3-0.
65 minutes on the clock and Lawson was elbowed in the face by Dixon and received some long treatment. No cards for this violent offence, but with Bishops down to ten the free kick reached Salvin who stooped to head just wide of the far post.
On 70 minutes Michael Fort was given a debut appearance for the club replacing the disappointing Emson and Wearmouth came on for Strong.
Ten minutes to go and a decent pass from Turnbull was flicked on by Gredziak but Wearmouth although looking like being well placed was bundled out by the Dunston defence without getting a shot off.
Bishops did score a consolation two minutes into injury time when Barton headed a free kick home to make it 3-1.
A disappointing performance with Bishops well beaten, and the defence again looking vulnerable.
FT: Dunston UTS 3 : Bishop Auckland 1