THORNABY V ALNWICK TOWN

It is a warm and sunny day for my first ever trip to Thornaby FC’s ground and following a helpful sign on Acklam Road brings me down an unpromising pot-holed track for about half a mile to the car park. Five pounds gets me a concessionary entry, a programme and a ticket for the half time raffle (always worth a punt when the attendance is expected to be small) provided by a couple of polite and very welcoming officials.

Inside, the initial impressions of Teesdale Park are favourable. Importantly the pitch looks well grassed and flat. Trees surround the ground belying its urban location; tucked between the golf course and the cemetery it seems positively rural. There is a seated stand in front of the changing rooms and an open air bank of seats behind one goal; cover for standing is a tin shed behind the other goal and, on the half way line, a recycled bus shelter that could hold about ten spectators or about fifteen close friends. Behind that is a grassy bank that runs the length of the touchline.

The game commences a touch early by my watch. Thornaby play in blue with white shoulders while Alnwick are in what looks like a change strip of orange. Most of the early action is in the Alnwick half with Thornaby trying to play a neat passing game. Even when they lose the ball their opponents quickly give it back so the pressure grows.

With sixteen minutes gone Thornaby’s Joe Hillerby shoots from twenty five yards, beating the diving keeper but not the foot of the post, however Lewis Murphy has followed up and with the keeper still on the deck is able to knock the rebound into the net. It is a deserved lead and more chances come, either wasted or foiled by the keeper, Ian Todd, who looks a capable shot stopper and confident puncher of crosses.

As half time approaches Alnwick will happily settle to go in just the one down, but right at the death they get a corner and the big centre half Tom McPherson thumps a header against the bar to give Thornaby a fright and emphasising their need for a second goal to cement their dominance.

Half time gives a chance for a further stroll round the ground, calling at the refreshment hut for a decent cup of tea.

In the second half Alnwick are making a better fist if it. Within five minutes they win a free kick way out on the left and when it is swung high beyond the far post Joshua Hay is unmarked and free to loops a header back over the keeper and into the far corner of the net.

All square on the scoresheet and the game more even on the field. If anything it is against the run of play when, midway through the half, Thornaby score next. Having won possession down the left wing the ball is worked inside to give Daniel Chapman the chance, which he takes calmly, to sidefoot home.

It’s a blow to Alnwick and their frustration is starting to show in relations with both the officials and each other; Thornaby respond to the raised temperature and the game gets quite competitive.

With ten minutes to go Alnwick, who have had the better of the second half, swing in a corner kick. It leads to a scramble in the six yard box, with the keeper at one point sat on the ball but unable to get his hands on it. The centre half’s attempts to help out with some intricate ball control while facing his own goal is rudely interrupted by Hay who has the simpler job of just forcing the ball the two yards over the line for the equaliser.

In the last five minutes it is anyone’s game. Two Alnwick penalty shouts (both weak) and several Thornaby corners fail to produce a winner, so it ends in what was an increasingly entertaining 2–2 draw.

GUISBOROUGH TOWN V SHILDON

FA Cup Preliminary Round

We start the FA Cup run a round late, and today's opponents have already registered wins in the extra preliminary round, Guisborough disposing of Stockton Town and Shildon getting through a tricky tie against Morpeth. Last season’s form places the visitors as favourites as they finished fourth in the Northern League Division 1 whereas the home team escaped relegation on a technicality.

The King George V ground is looking its usual splendid self in the sunshine, tree-lined and nestling under the Cleveland Hills. There has been a bit of churn in the Guisborough playing staff since my last visit but the Shildon side is full of familiar faces, with even the newly signed Anthony Peacock no stranger. What is unfamiliar is Shildon’s away kit of deep purple with lime green trim.

Guisborough’s kick off is novel as they simply boot the ball over the Shildon dead ball line, opting for territory rather than possession. Shildon accept the gift and work their way upfield patiently, but then the ball is cleared long and Guisborough centre forward Mason McNeil out-muscles defender Kyle May to get a run on goal that he completes by blazing a shot high and wide. The warning is unheeded by Shildon and minutes later another long ball, this one well directed inside full back Marc Ellison, opens up a similar path to goal for winger Steven Roberts. He takes a better route and smacks the ball high into the net giving keeper Nick Liversedge no chance.

The home team's early lead (three minutes only gone) doesn’t have time to affect the game as Shildon’s first corner kick, three minutes later is headed unchallenged into goal by Kyle May. What does affect the game midway through the half is a reckless challenge by Guisborough’s Dylan McAvoy that is given a straight red card.

Shildon’s passing game now becomes even easier to execute. Guisborough’s out ball is now one-dimensional to McNeil, as Roberts, much to Ellison’s relief, has to tuck back into midfield. Nevertheless Guisborough hold out to half time with no further damage.

The second half starts with even more fireworks than the first. After a couple of minutes Ellison pushes forward down Shildon’s left and crosses deep. Centre forward Micky Rae decides against a first time volley and instead brings the ball under control before shooting from close range. In truth he scuffs it a bit but hard enough for it to bobble in for a goal. The bad start to the half gets worse when minutes later a ball over the Guisborough defence is brought down by Rae. Instead of making for the goal he pauses to look up as the defenders regroup then, taking the time he is given he unleashes a fierce 25 yard drive that keeper Jordan Nixon gets a hand on but to no effect, the ball continuing its arc into the net.

The defence are shell shocked and a minute later have not recovered when Billy Greulich-Smith (on as a second half Shildon substitute) is given too much time on the right to cross precisely to Adam Burnicle on the penalty spot, from where the latter curls a shot high into the goal.

Three goals in five second half minutes have killed the game, remembering that Guisborough are also a man light. It is another ten minutes before Shildon score again; a through ball enables Peacock to run from deep through a vacant central corridor to skilfully chip the ball over the advancing Nixon and score the fifth goal.

From then on it is a training match. Shildon bring on a couple of youngsters off the bench and Guisborough, to their credit, make the odd excursion into the Shildon penalty area without really threatening. No further goals accrue and it is Shildon who progress to the first qualifying round.

BISHOP AUCKLAND V ASHINGTON

Northern League Division 1

An ill judged holiday booking led to this late start for the new season. And at Bishop Auckland I have already missed one manager’s term of office. Having shipped fifteen goals in the first three games (scoring eight) an interim management team is in place pending recruitment, and they will hope to at least stabilise the ship.

Heritage Park is looking good, the Darlington seating behind one goal remains in place despite their tenants moving out, but there is one change – the dug outs have switched touchlines to a more natural place in front of the grandstand, either side of the layers tunnel. And tonight’s dug out is graced by an England international, albeit at cricket, with big Steve Harmison still in charge at Ashington, and the team sheet includes his two brothers, equally big, Ben up front and James at the back.

The first half is competitive with both teams playing a controlled game without penetrating over much. Bishop’s only threat comes from full back Michael Hoganson’s wind assisted free kicks, three of them hit the target but keeper Connor Grant beats each of them out. For Ashington, Ben Harmison ploughs a lone and mainly fruitless farrow but an error by Luke Gilhespy gives him one chance which he fluffs embarrassingly.

The pattern of the first half continues after the break. Now Ashington has the breeze behind and it is Kyle Downey’s free kick from well out that needs saving. As time presses the game loosens up, and a Bishop Auckland free kick into the box ping-pongs around before being cleared off the line.

Then, in the ninetieth minute, the home side over-commit and are caught out by a break down the Ashington left. The three to one advantage is well worked and delivers the ball to Ben Harmison in front of an open goal, and this time there is no mistake and the tap in is enough to win the game.