Durham Challenge Cup
Preliminary Round
22 September, 2010
Bishop Auckland 3 : Darlington Cleveland Bridge 0
Bishop Auckland – Peter Jeffries / Chris Bell / Darren Atkinson / Wayne Clarke / John Hutton / Craig Toman / Arran Wearmouth / Stephen Salvin (capt) / Steven West (Simon Ord HT) / Steven Turnbull / Darren Richardson
No selection headaches for manager Colin Myers tonight, as the eleven available fit players started including Steven West in the centre forward position vacated by the departed Wayne Gredziak.
The substitutes bench comprised an injured Adam Emson, manager Myers and the yet to arrive Simon Ord.
Bishops were straight on the attack against the Wearside League opposition and West fired a shot wide on five minutes.
Seven minutes were on the clock when Salvin clipped a ball to Darren Richardson who volleyed across the ‘keeper and into the far corner for 1-0.
Arran Wearmouth was unlucky to see a shot from 15 yards dip just inches over the bar as the one way traffic continued.
28 minutes and Bishops were still looking for a second goal. Darren Richardson dribbled the ball through three defenders but had his shot blocked at close range by Thraves in the Bridge goal.
A minute later and a cross from wide into the six yard box was deflected by a defender against his own bar as Wearmouth exerted pressure.
34 minutes and Bell drove down the right to the goal-line before cutting the ball back across the face of goal, but there was nobody on hand for the final touch.
Three minutes later and Steven West headed just over from ten yards. West was replaced by the late arriving Simon Ord at Half Time.
So, Bishops ahead
at the interval, but after missing a number of changes there was only one goal
in it.
HT: Bishop
Auckland 1, Darlington Cleveland Bridge 0
The game continued in the same pattern after the interval, with rain now falling steadily.
Eight minutes into the half and Turnbull raced onto a ball through the Bridge defence and shinned a shot which hit the post, and the ‘keeper was lucky to gather at the second attempt.
Three minutes later and Richardson was in the clear but Thraves saved with his feet.
61 minutes on the clock and another chance missed as Wearmouth blasted just over from close range.
A fragile lead and Bridge created a rare chance on 68 minutes. McLachlan found some space on the left but blasted his shot into the side netting from a tight angle.
A minute later and Bishops were on the attack with Bell, now playing wide on the right, scuffed a shot which was deflected wide.
Jeffries was called into action on 77 minutes narrowing the angle for a chance from McLachlan after Clarke had headed backwards. The keeper made the save but received a kick for his troubles.
Seven minutes from time and Bishops were still pressing for a second. Ord lifted a cross into a crowded area and Salvin glanced a header home to make it 2-0.
Arran Wearmouth added a third with a minute to go when he sidefooted home a Darren Richardson cross from close range, and the game finished soon after.
Not a great performance but Bishops did enough against a spirited team with a severely weakened side. The rebuild begins now.
FT: Bishop Auckland 3, Darlington Cleveland Bridge 0