Ray Simpson`s Northern League Review...

Billingham Town won their first game of the season by 4-2 against Guisborough Town to lift them off the bottom of....

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Published 23rd September 2012

Paul Brayson

.....the Ebac Northern League First Division table.

Town had lost their previous six league games, but this victory lifts them out of the bottom two above Dunston UTS and Newton Aycliffe .

Manager Carl Jarrett said: “I’m relieved to get our first win, because now the players can believe in themselves again. They’ve given themselves a boost with this performance.”

Town took the lead with an early Craig Norman goal when he pounced on a poor throw back to Guisborough keeper Dan Dixon, and it was quickly followed by another from Nicky Martin, who capitalised on a poor back pass. Nathan Evans pulled one back, but Town went 4-1 up at half-time through further goals by Glenn Butterworth and Jamie Owens.

Guisborough had more possession in the second half, but all they had to show for their efforts was a goal by Lee Bythway from a free-kick 10 minutes from the end.

Guisborough manager Chris Hardy said: “On another day we could well have won this game by 2 or 3, given the amount of chances we created, but that wasn't to be and credit must go to Billingham Town for their first league win.”

Darlington 1883 are now sic points clear after they beat Dunston 3-0 at the UTS Stadium.

Darlington manager Martin Gray said: “I’m pleased to get six points out of Dunston this season, because they’re a very good side.”

Dunston manager Billy Irwin said; “Our penalty miss at 0-0 was crucial.”

Newton Aycliffe dropped to the bottom of the table after they lost 1-0 at Newcastle Benfield.

Aycliffe were below their best, and after their keeper Scott Pocklington pulled off a couple of good saves, they went behind after 53 minutes when Dan Taggart scored with a left foot shot.

Benfield keeper Andrew Grainger made a good late save from Danny Earl, but Benfield were always on top.

Newcastle Benfield manager Perry Briggs said: “I was pleased with the lads’ reaction after last Saturday’s defeat. It was a great debut by Dan Taggart - he’ll be a very good player in the future.”

Norton & Stockton Ancients are now in the bottom five after they were beaten 1-0 at Celtic Nation, for whom Craig Wilson scored from the spot in the first half.

Norton manager Andy Campbell said: “We were much better than in midweek. We were unlucky not to be in front in the first half, some good goalkeeping and goalline stops kept us out. We gave away a sloppy penalty just after the break but still unlucky to get an equaliser after last minute one on one.”

Bedlington Terriers jumped into third place after they trounced Billingham Synthonia 6-0, scoring four times in the first half.

Phil Bannister put Bedlington in front with a header on 24 minutes, then Kris Gate scored from a left wing cross.

Bedlington striker Paul Brayson converted a penalty for a foul by David Abel on 34 minutes, and just before the break Steve Bowey fired the fourth.

Brayson ran through and scored his ninth league goal for this season, and in the dying minutes he played in Bannister for the sixth.

Billingham Synthonia manager Lee Tucker said: “We were just beaten by a far better team on Saturday. No excuses, they just utilised their quality really well.”

Durham City had a good 2-2 away draw at Whitley Bay. After Whitley had most of the early stages, Durham took the lead with a good shot by Gary Shaw, but Whitley levelled when Bran Smith forced the ball home after Paul Chow headed against the bar.

Whitley took the lead on when Chow scored from a Paul Robinson pass, but Durham levelled with a 25 yarder by Scott Fenwick.

Durham manager Dickie Ord said: “I’m proud of them. It was a great game to watch.”

Whitley Bay manager Ian Chandler said; “It was the same old story. We should have won by five or six, we missed so many chances in both halves. We got in front at 2-1, then switched off for 20 seconds, and that cost us their equaliser.”

Sunderland RCA beat Penrith 2-0 at Welfare Park to go into the top half of the table.

Recent signing Gavin Barton gave them the lead from an Andy Hudson corner, and Aristote Guerian-Lokonga set up Andy Appleby for the second.

Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon said: “It was a tough game, a good win and a good three points.”

Ashington are now sixth after a 2-0 home win over Team Northumbria, both goals coming in the second half from Paul Antony and Andrew Johnson.

Team Northumbria manager Paul Johnson said: “We played well in the first half and after dominating possession had three good chances and a penalty turned down. But in the second half we allowed them to get better ball into Marc Walton who caused problems in front of goal and after a cross was misjudged by our keeper went in, they got a boost. The second half was again from one of our mistakes where we didn’t screen a simple throw in and they capitalised from it. We barely posed a threat on their goal in the second half.”

South Shields moved away from the bottom three by winning 4-0 at Hebburn, Peter Kane scoring a hat-trick. He scored his first midway through the first half from a Barrie Smith cross, then a few minutes later Glenn Ford got the second from a Paul Talbot corner. Kane headed the third from a Chris Feasey cross, and got his hat-trick with a left foot shot on 54 minutes.

Hebburn manager Paul Bennett said: “A shocking performance from start to finish. 4-0 flattered us, and in all honesty we couldn’t have complained if it was seven or eight. The same group of players get praise when they do well, but they must take collective responsibility for an atrocious 90 minutes.”

Consett leap-frogged over Marske United with a 2-1 win at Mount Pleasant - their first ever win on that ground.

Michael Mackay scored his third league goal of the season after 17 minutes from a Luke Sullivan pass, and Michael Pearson got the second from corner just before half-time.

Chris McGill pulled a goal back for Marske with a looping header near the end.

Consett manager Kenny Lindoe said: “It was an excellent team performance, and we deserved a more realistic scoreline. Too many chances missed and then we were made to sweat on the result when they got a late goal.”

[Source: Ray Simpson]