SHILDON v BISHOP ACKLAND

Northern League Division 1

A cold, bright Boxing Day morning tempts me out for a Northern League derby between neighbours Shildon and Bishop Auckland. It’s tempted out a few others too as there is an unfamiliar queue to get through the turnstiles, which means the game is a minute or two old by the time I get in.

Shildon are already pressing and have a free kick and a corner at the turnstile end before I even decide where to watch from. On a day like this the choice is to stand in the sun, relatively warm but blinded, or huddle in the shade, cold but able to see the action. I choose the latter and head for my normal pitch-side berth.

Shildon have the benefit of a strong breeze in this half and dominate the game for the first fifteen minutes, already hitting the bar before a Lewis Wing shot is deflected narrowly wide. From that corner the ball somehow finds a way through the crowded six yard box to find Danny Parker at the far post who stoops to head the ball into the net.

With Bishop Auckland finding the wind problematic to their preferred attacking style of hitting the big man Ian Ward up front, it is Shildon who continue to play the football and on thirty-five minutes Wing tees up another shot from the edge of the box. This too is deflected, but only slightly, and the touch serves merely to take the ball further away from the keeper and into the top corner of the goal.

It could be a two-goal wind in Shildon’s favour, but just before half time centre forward Amar Purewal receives the ball on half way with his back to goal. He holds it then swivels and plays it forward for Wing to run onto, in the clear and composed enough to slip the ball past the advancing keeper and into the net. The three goal lead is deserved but not necessarily conclusive in the conditions.

The second half is more even. With the wind at their backs Bishop Auckland can get the ball further up the pitch, and though there is little end product it means that Shildon now start their moves deeper in their own half, and threaten less.

In fact Bishop have a good spell with about a quarter of the game left. A run of three corners, in quick succession, give hope and eventually a loose ball in the Shildon box falls to the feet of goal poacher Andrew Johnson. He does what he does best and slots home to cut the deficit.

Minutes later another Bishop corner creates a scramble in the six yard box with the ball being hooked clear from somewhere on, or even beyond, the goal line. Strong Bishop claims for a goal are waived away by the ref; the only goal line technology available is the linesman’s eyesight, and he’s saying nothing.

Shildon take the scare on board and reassert control. With time almost up Wing beats an offside trap to run through again; maybe this time the potential hat trick is on his mind, as he is hesitant and the retreating defenders are able to crowd him out.

The missed opportunity matters not as time is soon up and another win for Shildon maintains their top four position as well as maintaining momentum ahead of their upcoming FA fourth round Vase tie.

GATESHEAD V KING’S LYNN TOWN

FA Trophy - First Round

A surprisingly traffic free drive up the A1(M) gets me to the International Stadium in Gateshead in about forty minutes, and the benefits of the twenty thousand plus capacity ground include a sizeable car park (albeit shared today with visitors to a toy fair held in one of the function areas). A £10 concession gets me through the turnstile, beyond which a second benefit is evident - the warm indoor area to the rear of the main stand where, along a corridor, refreshment counters and a room serving as a clubhouse, complete with bar, can be found; a programme is available at £1.50.

Warmed and refreshed, entering the main stand offers a wide choice of seats but the drawback of playing in an athletics stadium becomes apparent with the pitch, inside the running track, unfamiliarly distant to those used to non-league grounds. The home fans are well spread out around me; the few visiting supporters are over on the far side, looking even more lost in that cavernous stand. But there is no need to huddle together as the weather remains mild with the good-looking pitch clearly benefiting from the delayed onset of winter.

For Gateshead, as a National League side, this first round proper is the entry point for the Trophy; King’s Lynn are a couple of levels down, in the Southern Premier League. But the visitors are on a better run of form, particularly defensively (one goal conceded in the last six games), so may give the ‘Heed’ (five games without a win) a contest.

As the teams line up another plus for the ground is apparent – the floodlights brightly illuminate the whole of the pitch (a novelty) picking out the team colours, Gateshead in white and black, King’s Lynn in yellow and blue.

Following an early Gateshead shot on target by Mitch Brundle, nothing much happens for quarter of an hour. Gateshead’s passing game is out of sorts and the approach that promises most are long balls to debutant centre forward Jordan Burrow. He wins most of them but his flicked headers fall on fallow ground.

King’s Lynn look to progress down the flanks but the Gateshead defenders look well able to cope. The visitors’ biggest threat comes from a couple of free kicks hoisted into the box for which the two centre backs go upfield and compete; again the home defence and keeper deal cope well.

Ten minutes from half time a Gateshead corner is well flighted, but clears all jumpers and reaches Gus Mafuta well beyond the far post. He hits in a fierce cross shot that Burrow, in the six yard box, clips first time up into the roof of the net. The one nil score remains unchanged to half time.

Gateshead’s second half line up sees Nyal Bell on for Sam Jones, and his pace and athleticism is soon in evidence as he outpaces a defender down the inside right channel and despite the widening angle smacks a right footer that cannons of the crossbar. Up the other end King’s Lynn midfielder Shaun McWilliams tries a long range dipping volley that is on target but lacks the elevation to beat keeper Dan Hanford.

King’s Lynn are having some success down their right wing. One cross needs Hanford to dive to intercept, the another finds centre forward Toby Hilliard on the edge of the six yard box, but he fails to connect and the chance is gone.

It looks increasingly like one goal will not be enough and Gateshead strive for another. From a corner centre half Manny Smith, who has won every header in his own half, wins one in the opposition’s box; it’s not on target but team mate Burrow wins the second header, only to put it over the bar. Burrow is soon back in the action when he swivels in the box and gets off a shot that is deflected before coming back off the foot of the post. It his is last contribution and a successful debut ends with twenty minutes left as regular centre forward Danny Johnson comes on as substitute.

This spell of Gateshead pressure is fairly relentless but frustratingly unproductive. Wes Atkinson shoots wide then Johnson gets into his stride, twice firing shots straight at keeper Alexander Street.

Into the last ten minutes King’s Lynn, having kept it to one nil, start to give it a go, but only test Hanford with a long range shot from Lee Stevenson. Gateshead counter attack with Johnson down the right; he cuts inside but is brought down, From the free kick King’s Lynn clear ineffectively and the ball is returned into the mix. From the crowd of players Manny Smith emerges with the ball at his feet and has the coolness to place it wide of Street and into the net to double the lead.

King’s Lynn try a quick response; a hard hit cross comes chest high to Danny Emmington, but the ball simply rebounds off him and into the arms of Hanford. There remains time for Jamal Fyfield to execute a mazy run through the tiring King’s Lynn midfield but his shot is blocked at the last ditch by a combination of defender and keeper. The resulting corner takes up most of the added time left and Gateshead hold on to the two nil scoreline.

The home team dominated the second half but their grip on the tie was never secure until five minutes from the end when the second goal went in. The attendance is announced and the thirty-three from King’s Lynn will have plenty of time on the way home to reflect on putting in a creditable performance, out of the Trophy but not completely out of their depth.

The two hundred or so home fans will know their team will need to play better, against better teams, to go much further the competition.

NEWTON AYCLIFFE V MORPETH TOWN

FA Vase 3^rd Round 

A third visit this season to Moore Lane Park, but the first for a knock out match as Newton Aycliffe take on Morpeth Town in the third round of the Vase, a trophy held by the visitors after their success last season at Wembley.

It is a still day, relatively mild for the time of year, as it has been generally the case throughout autumn, leaving pitches still green and in good condition. The attendance is sparse as Christmas shopping exerts its pull but there is a good sprinkling of amber and black bobble hats that give away the visitor’s colours.

Aycliffe begin the game at a fast pace but Morpeth match it and it is they who fire the opening shots. Jordan Fry’s drive is well saved by keeper James Winter, Mark Donniger’s effort under pressure is wide then Keith Graydon’s free kick cannons off the defensive wall. A sweeping move from Graydon via Ben Sayer to Sean Taylor produces another shot on target that Winter saves then gathers up.

Aycliffe survive the onslaught and, mainly on the break, create a chance or two. Stuart Banks finds Dennis Knight in the box and his shot is saved by keeper Karl Dryden’s feet, the rebound bouncing to safety. Shortly afterwards an Aycliffe run from midfield is brought to a premature and illegal halt, for which the referee blows; to Aycliffe’s chagrin the ball has run free to John Campbell whose sidefoot into the net is now irrelevant. The free kick on the edge of the box is scant compensation, especially when it thumps harmlessly into the wall of defenders.

After the breathless first twenty minutes the pace inevitably drops to merely quick and the chances dry up a little. Half time is approaching when Campbell for once beats the Morpeth off side trap with a well-timed run down, collecting the ball in the inside right channel, and coolly slotting it past Dryden into the net. This one counts and the home team have the lead.

Morpeth are unused to trailing and respond with vigour, winning a corner and planting the kick right under the bar. Winter, not the tallest keeper, sensibly opts to punch, getting good distance, and with the danger cleared the referee blows for the interval.

The visitors resume in the second half as they finished the first, pressing hard and moving the ball quickly. Aycliffe’s midfield mainspring and captain Paul Garthwaite, chasing back hard makes what looks like a good tackle, but the referee sees it different and blows for a foul. Donniger hits the free kick hard and low; Winter stoops to gather but merely shovels the ball up onto the lap of the inrushing Morpeth centre half Matthew Grieve who runs it into the goal. All square with only a minute of the second half gone.

It’s a blow to the home team but they respond well and have probably their most concerted spell of pressure. A free kick leads to some ping pong in the box before the ball is deflected for a corner. That is cleared, but then an in-swinging cross is backheaded by Campbell and the ball loops toward the far angle. Dryden is alert however and paws the ball over for another corner.

Although pressed back Morpeth still threaten when in possession. Taylor breaks on the right and though he miskicks his cross it still finds a colleague, but Sayer fails to test the keeper, shooting wide. Minutes later it is Liam Henderson breaking through in the same position, but he does test the keeper, who fails the exam as the right foot screamer whizzes past him into the net. Two minutes later it is almost an action replay as Henderson is again in the clear (this time suspiciously in the clear – but there is no flag) and the result is the same with another right-footer planted past Winter into the net.

The wind goes out of Aycliffe’s sails for a while, discouraged by the two goal deficit and penned back by the rampant visitors. But with a quarter of an hour to go Winter, under pressure, catches a free kick and rushing to the edge of his box launches one of his hopeful punts upfield. For once the route one tactic is effective - the ball clears the centre half for Campbell to run onto and lob the oncoming Dryden for another cool finish. Hope dawns again for the home team, and a brief resurgence sees a shooting chance fall to Brian Close whose attempt flies high over the bar.

Morpeth keep a tight grip on the closing minutes, seeing out five minutes of added time without incident. Their grip on the FA Vase remains intact; Aycliffe have given them a game but in the end have fallen by the Wembley wayside.