NEWTON
AYCLIFFE V ESH WINNING
The sunshine this week has a distinctly
autumnal feel to it; the sun is lower in the sky and though it warms the skin
it has little effect on the cool air. The pitch looks to have weathered the
recent heavy rains well enough but it may cut up as the game progresses.
Otherwise conditions are perfect.
In an all Northern League tie Newton
Aycliffe in blue face Esh Winning in green; both have come through the
qualifying rounds. Aycliffe have not won since the last round and have only two
victories all season leaving them at the foot of Division 1. Esh Winning have
won through two rounds (including against our hosts from last week Tadcaster)
and are doing OK in Division 2.
The game is open from the start. The early
exchanges require Spence in the visitor’s goal to save a glancing header and a
shot from distance, but both are straight at him. His opposite number is not
called on as threats on his goal are off target.
By mid-half Aycliffe begin to get the upper
hand; a nice move down the right sets up Young on the edge of the box, but his
low shot to the corner is tipped round the post by Spence. Five minutes later
an Aycliffe free kick from distance is thumped well by full back Harvey but the
Esh Winning wall holds fast at the cost of some personal discomfort.
Esh Winning have less of the game but centre
forward Ward is winning his share of high balls and Thompson looks both skilful
and pacey in support. As half time approaches, for reasons unknown, the
Aycliffe central defenders suddenly absent themselves from the traditional
position in the middle of their own half. When the ball appears there, a race
between Thompson and covering fullback Knox will have only one winner. Thompson
not only gets there first, he draws keeper Pocklington out of position then
calmly slots the ball into the open net.
Aycliffe try to respond at once. Skipper
Tarling battles through into the penalty area but centre half Wilson caps a
fine display with a last ditch challenge. The final attempt of the half however
comes as an Esh Winning’s free kick is headed clear but only to their number 10,
Wing, who volleys neatly but wide.
At half time Aycliffe troop off puzzled at
how they are losing. They have had more possession and territory, but have only
looked like scoring from outside the box. Anything closer in has been met or
blocked by Wilson and Oakley. Esh Winning have had more room to attack into,
and Thompson’s pace and determination has been a constant threat.
Five minutes into the second half an Esh
Winning attack down the right culminates in an accurate dipping volley from
Wing. It’s well out and keeper Pocklington is well positioned to deal with it,
but inexplicably the ball slips through his hands and rolls in slow motion over
the line for 2-0.
Within another five minutes Aycliffe boss
Alan Oliver responds with a triple substitution which includes putting his
assistant Mellanby on up front. Esh Winning fall back as Aycliffe press hard.
Twice left wing Hughes cuts in across the edge of the box and shoots right
footed; the first screws wide of the near post and the second is hit sweeter
but flies past the far.
Mellanby is adding presence to the attack
but the more telling substitution is Dawson in midfield. He is either given or
is able to find space and time to play in some well-judged balls. One gives
centre forward Earl a chance but Spence is quick off his line and just gets to
it first. The dual continues as Spence gets down sharply to Earl’s shot on the
turn.
As time gets short Aycliffe go three at the
back with centre half Craddock joining Earl and Mellanby up front. Dawson twice
hits in a long diagonal ball and Craddock wins both, one amounts to nought but
another forces a save under the bar from Spence. When a third ball comes in
Spence decides to challenge for it himself but the outcome is inconclusive and
the ball falls to Mellanby who knocks it into the unguarded net from a couple
of yards.
Eight minutes left and 1-2 down Aycliffe
continue to bombard the Esh Winning penalty area. Mellanby may not be too
mobile now but his goal scoring instincts are still sharp and it is he who
finds space, first to fire narrowly wide and then to turn cleverly and put the
ball dangerously across the six yard line, where it bobbles up out of a melee into
the arms of a grateful Spence.
As full time approaches a rare Esh Winning
excursion up front results in a comic moment when Pocklington picks up a ball
deflected off his defender, ruled a back pass by the referee. The free kick is
4 yards out and the Aycliffe line up in the goal mouth would make a passable
team photo. It does its job blocking the attempt, but a corner results and the
last rites of the game are played out around the corner flag as Esh Winning
successfully wind down the clock.
Esh Winning’s winning continues and their
Vase run goes on. Newton Aycliffe did not do enough to win, but did enough to
lose.
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