Bishop Auckland St. Marys 6 - New Marske Juniors 3
We were really struggling with players fit enough (or available) to play this cup game away at Bishop Auckland St. Marys. The situation, Just prior to kick off appeared even more desperate as Joe and Matthew hadn't arrived. Stu and Andy could be seen furiously trying to work out player positions for the ten lads awaiting pitchside. As luck would have it (no thanks to Martins navigational skills) they did arrive in time.
We started the game with Joe playing up front alongside Ryan, and Dougy taking Joe's normal position in central defence. For the first three or four minutes, both sides looked very nervous. Us due to the heavily changed team formation, and BA possibly due to their heavy defeat at the weekend.
However the inspired tactical switch paid dividends after four minutes when Joe found himself clear as he put the ball past the keeper. It seemed an eternity for the ball to cross the goal line, but cross it it did, to put New Marske into a 1-0 lead.
challenging for the ball
Another advantage of playing a central defender up front followed shortly after when a BA defender dwelt on the ball slightly too long, only for the buoyant Joe to launch himself into a tackle. The ball won cleanly, saw the defender hobble away, probably wondering what had hit him!
The good start was cancelled out after 10 minutes when the ball from a corner came into the box and once again found a player who, unchallenged put the ball into the net. Some of our players need to switch on at corners and make an attempt to get the ball rather than just stand and watch the opposition get a tap in.
We won a corner and Andy was unlucky as his header went the wrong side of the bar. Joe was proving a handful as once again he flicked the ball on with his head for Ryan to run onto. The referee had spotted Ryan in an offside position, to stop the move. A throw to us near our corner flag saw the ball land at the feet of a BA player, who fancied a crack from about 28 yards. His high looping shot however was a bit too firmly struck as it sailed well over Dean's bar.
After 20 minutes a BA attacker pushed on down the right. Nobody got a challenge in on him as he cut inside and struck his shot wide of Dean, off the far post and into the net. 2-1 to BA. On the overall play up to this point, the lead seemed to have been taken against the run of play.
Bishop Auckland equalise with a header from probably the smallest member of their team in the box
Straight from our kick off, a sloppy layoff saw BA nick the ball and drive unimpeeded towards our defence, resulting in a corner. This time at least we cleared the ball without any problems. Johnny fighting hard for the ball, put the ball through for Ryan, who looked as if he was in for a goalscoring opportunity. A BA defender had other ideas and at the last second nicked it away for a corner. The corner came in and saw Ben, in the right place to head the ball goalwards, to make the score 2-2.
It was shaping up as a game that was more than capable of going either way, but which was it going to be?
BA were having more and more success by running with the ball straight through midfield, and then the defence, with nobody getting a challenge in to stop them. After a spell of BA pressure it was our turn with Ryan and Joe working hard up front. From a throw, Andy was picked out unmarked in the box, however his composure deserted him as his shot went aimlessly well wide of the goal without working the keeper.
Andy got another chance as we kept the pressure up. The ball was hit long to Andy who shot towards goal. From our angle it looked like it was in, but instead the ball went narrowly just the wrong side of the post. We were having good possession of the ball in and around the BA box, but as has been the same for about two seasons we seemed reluctant to take the shot on. Have a go lads, it will pay dividends!
BA showed how to do it, when one of there players hit the ball from about ten yards inside our half, high towards Dean. It was a difficult ball to deal with and he could only knock it out for a corner. With a few minutes to go to half time we once again switched off at the back as a BA player closed in on the goal. We did manage to stop his progress eventually.
New Marske with a great chance, but it's headed over the bar
Almost on the stroke of half time a glorious move down our left wing saw us take the lead. Reminiscent of last years Riverside Rovers away game, a fabulous passing move ended with Ryan scoring our third goal.
Half-time: Bishop Auckland 2 New Marske 3
BA started off the second half, pressing us back.and earning a free kick just outside our box. The free kick was hit straight at Dean, who managed to hold on. Shortly after we got a free kick that Jack pumped forward. The ball was headed out, sending a BA player away on the right. David chased back and got a challenge in to slow him up. Jack then mopped the danger up, putting the ball out for a throw. Once the ball was back in play, more good defending by Jack cleared the danger.
Another nice passing move by us down the left broke down eventually when nobody read Joe's through ball. The game was opening up due to a lot of space in the middle of the pitch.and Dougy was called on to make a last ditch tackle in the box. BA pushed on and nearly got us out when a clearance was headed backwards by one of our players over the top of our defence. The race was one as to who would get there first and luckily it was us.
BA continued pressing and finding room as our midfield started to tire, and a BA player found himself with the opportunity to shoot. He missed the ball however, but still got a second chance and crashed his shot onto the bar. That was a bit of a let off. There was a couple of minutes delay while a BA player got treatment after a tackle from David.
A Bishop Auckland player shows the power of levitation
BA were continuing to run at us from midfield waltzing around players as if they weren't there (and judging by the lack of tackling they weren't!) It was looking like we needed to tighten up the midfield area as we were being put under increasing pressure. The pressure was relieved when another BA player got treatment after being caught by Ryan. From the resultant free kick, the ball was hit into the box. The ball seemed to be in the air a long time and a BA player once again found himself with a free header, to bring the scores level at 3-3.
With a sense of deja-vu from a week earlier, we found ourselves rapidly 4-3 down when yet another unchallenged run from midfield saw the BA player try his luck and thump the ball towards Dean. Dean could only parry the ball, but not enough to stop the shot ending up in the net. Jamie came on to replace Dean in goal.
Despite the pressure we still found the time to create another fabulous flowing move down the left wing, that ended with Ryan nipping the ball away from the keepers toes, and rounding him, but could only manage to hit the side netting. It was another move that really did deserve a goal. Another couple of free kicks came in from BA with Jack heading the ball well clear to stop the attack. We came back into the game and David found himself through in the BA box, but the ball was cleared up field to a BA attacker.. With David out of position Jack was left one-on-one with the attacker, and managed to come out on top as he put the ball out of play to safety.
Both plays fully concentrating on winning the ball
The home side virtually made the game safe when one of their players was allowed time on the ball 22 yards out to hit a fierce shot goalwards, over the top of Jamie, to make the score 5-3 to BA. Ben came off, to be replaced by Dean fresh from his goalkeeping duties, taking up a position on the right of midfield. Pushing forward Joe found himself in space with two men wide in space on the right. His attempted pass was cut out by the only defender anywhere within range to break the move up.
We had another spell where we pushed them back, and Dean managed to put in a lovely cross for Joe, who couldn't quite get up high enough as he sent his header over the bar. From about 35 yards Joe launched the ball towards the BA goal. The keeper, probably very relieved he didn't have to do anything with it, saw it go wide of his goal. A short goal kick from BA saw one of their defenders dawdle on the ball a bit to long, as Ryan crunched into him. Causing another hold up in play.
Although we were pushing to get a goal back, it was BA who scored the final goal of the game, when a BA player attacked down the right and as he got to the edge of the box, crashed his shot past Jamie into the corner. 6-3 to BA. In the final minute we got a corner. As it came in Jack headed the ball, only to see the ball go narrowly past the post.
Final Score: Bishop Auckland St Mary's 6 - New Marske 3
MOTM:- : Joe Harvey