Second Successive Defeat for West

West Auckland Town suffered their second successive defeat in the Ebac Northern League First Division when they...

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Published 20th September 2012

Paul Chow

....went down 4-2 at Bedlington Terriers on Wednesday night.

West had a dreadful first half. They fell behind when Phil Bannister ran through unchallenged and scored from the edge of the box, and then Stephen Baptiste set up Paul Brayson to score in the bottom corner on 41 minutes.

Bannister volleyed his third from a right wing cross just on half-time for 3-0. West pulled one back on 63 minutes with a Chris Carr header from a long throw, but Bedlington made it 4-1 on 63 minutes when Andy Ferrell fired into the top corner. West skipper Mattie Moffat pulled a goal back right at the end.

West manager Peter Dixon said: "Defensively we were terrible again. We're giving teams head starts."

Billingham Town are still without a win after they lost 3-1 at Marske United. They took the lead through Nicky Martin from a Jamie Owens pass, but Marske levelled when their new signing James Magowan, who once played for Town, levelled from close range.

Chris McGill made it 2-1 with a powerful shot on the half hour, and then another ex-Town player, David Onions, made it 3-1 midway through the second half.

Town manager Carl Jarrett said: "We just weren't good enough and my players need to start rolling their sleeves up to earn wins because in this league you don't get them for free."

In the Second Division, second-placed Northallerton Town lost 2-1 at home to Esh Winning.

Northallerton had two goals disallowed before Esh took the lead with a Craig Mickle volley, but Northallerton levelled when Carl Chillingsworth scored with a header. But Esh regained the lead when Ian Smurthwaite put through his own goal.

Esh manager Andrew Soppitt said: "We didn't play a lot of football, but the players worked really hard for each other. We only had fourteen players, one of whom was injured, and two more hadn't played for us yet this season."

Northallerton manager Mark Fanning said: "I'm struggling to work out how we lost the game. We had 80 per cent of the possession, hit the post and bar, had three goals disallowed and had a penalty turned down."

In the League Cup, Bishop Auckland had a good 4-1 home win over Ashington, but they had midfielder Craig Hodgson stretchered off in the process, and he is expected to be out for at least a month with ligament damage.

Ashington took the lead when Andrew Johnson scored from close range following a low driven free-kick from the right, but the other Andrew Johnson on the field, the Bishop striker, scored direct from a free kick from an acute angle at the other end.

Bishops scored three times in the last 12 minutes. Johnson scored his second for Bishops from a Jamie Harwood lay off, then Johnson set up Sonny Andrews to blast the third. Andrews fired another in the closing minutes.

Bishops manager Colin Myers said: "I thought that was our best performance of the season. We played well from start to finish."

Whitley Bay romped to an 8-1 victory at Norton & Stockton Ancients, with Paul Chow scoring a hat-trick, with five other players getting on the scoresheet, including new signing from Blyth Spartans, Ash Davis.

Norton scored their consolation through Karl Richards at 5-0.

Whitley Bay manager Ian Chandler said: "It was a fantastic display, and we could have scored fifteen. We dominated from the off and put away a fair few chances. Ash Davis had a huge impact on his debut, creating space and chances for himself and Paul Chow."

Norton manager Andy Campbell said: "That was the worst performance from my team and wasn't acceptable. That will never happen again. We were second best, and gave up. I'm a fighter and I will make sure my team is up for a fight this season!

Guisborough Town just managed to scrape past Thornaby - Lee Bythway scoring in the first half, while North Shields scored twice in the second period of extra-time to beat Morpeth Town 4-2, after the Morpeth keeper was dismissed for two yellow cards.

Thornaby manager Ray Morton said: "We should have won, we outplayed them."

In the Durham Challenge Cup, Wearside League outfit Jarrow sprang the surprise of the night when they easily beat Washington by 4-0.

Ryton’s Stephen Crame scored at both ends as they drew with Whickham, before Whickham won on penalties.

Birtley Town won 2-1 at Harton & Westoe, and manager Scott Oliver said: "We had the better chances. I was pleased with our first half, when we passed the ball better."

[Source: Ray Simpson]