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.