NEWTON AYCLIFFE v CONSETT

Northern League Division 1 - 27 August 2016

Today’s game is between two teams who have made a decent start to the Northern League campaign, and who will hope to figure in the race for honours.

Moore Lane Park has a rural feel to it despite its new-town location, an impression strengthened by the warm sunny day and the sound of willow on leather from the adjacent cricket match. In fact the early season football pitch is in better nick than the late season cricket outfield; the lush green setting off the players’ strips – all royal blue for Aycliffe and all red for Consett.

The first fifteen minutes are fairly even, but after a bout of long ball ping pong a purposeful header from Consett centre forward Jordan Nellis finds team mate Jack Stafford in space. A few unchallenged strides bring him to the edge of the penalty area from where he fires an accurate shot into the corner of the net.

The game continues to be open but Consett have the better opportunities. Twice Aycliffe concede needless free kicks out wide but escape punishment. After a third such free kick a half chance does fall to Nellis but his tamely struck is easily gathered.

Aycliffe can barely string two forward passes together, often instead resorting to a long ball. One of these draws a mistake from Consett centre half Clark Kay that puts the goal in danger; however he manages to clear up his own mess after which he literally holds his hand up in an apology to the team. Only once more does a through ball prove effective for Aycliffe – Dennis Knight is put clear with just the keeper to beat, but Shaun MacDonald stands up well and blocks effectively.

It’s a strong finish to the half for the home team and a corner routine produces their best moment so far. Knight peels off his marker to meet the corner kick on the half-volley about ten yards from the near post. The sweetly struck shot flashes goalwards, only kept out by some combination (too quick to specify) of a defender, the keeper, the post and the bar.

Despite the late flurry Aycliffe have been outplayed in midfield, and though Knight and his fellow striker John Campbell have worked hard they have worked in isolation and been generally snuffed out by the Consett defence. The visitors deserve their 1-0 lead; their strikers Nellis and Luke Sullivan are skilful and are combining well with each other and their midfield colleagues.

Aycliffe start the second half with a bit more attacking intent and, early doors, Campbell races onto a through ball as keeper MacDonald races out to clear. Campbell wins the race but MacDonald is a close second and takes him out, conceding a free kick outside the penalty area and escaping a red card due only to the forward’s direction of travel being away from goal. Campbell takes the kick but fires well over.

The same player gets another chance fifteen minutes later when a hopeful punt upfield bounces through to him, however his mishit shot barely reaches the keeper.

It appears to be an expensive miss as Consett immediately counter attack with Sullivan dribbling into the box. Centre half Alex Kitchen gets in a tangle with him and wrestles him to the ground to concede a penalty. Sullivan takes it hard and low to the keeper’s right; but not far enough to his right and James Winter makes a fine save to keep the deficit at just one goal.

Aycliffe’s next opportunity to equalise falls to Campbell again. Apparently hemmed in by defenders around the penalty spot, he cleverly manufactures some space and arrows a shot; but it’s too straight to beat MacDonald, who tips the quickly rising ball over the bar.

With time running out, and the home team getting frustrated, they revert back to conceding needless free kicks. One of these comes into the penalty area and panicky defending ensues that concludes with a clearance from one player hitting another and presenting Nellis with an open goal chance that he nods in gratefully for what looks like a terminal 2-0 lead.

Credit to Aycliffe, they continue to press for a goal. Ashley Coffey, strangely quiet all game, creates some space for himself and has a good shot blocked. From the corner the ball comes out to centre half Dan Mitton who sidefoots a deliberate shot that strikes the angle of post and bar.

It is as close as Aycliffe get, and probably as much as they deserve. On this evidence they will need some key missing players back fit if they are to compete for the top places; Consett however were impressive and I think they may be one of the teams to watch this season.