Newton Aycliffe FC v Stokesley

By Paul McGeary
Aycliffe claimed a valuable away point at form side Stokesley with a hard-working 1-1 draw.

In a game littered by refereeing inconsistency, Aycliffe finished what wasn't an ill-tempered affair with 10-men, when goalscorer Paul Broom was dismissed for an altercation with Stokesley danger man Bryan Stewart, who also saw red.
After Broom clumsily felled Stewart in the last minute, the Stokesley number 11 took it upon himself to headbutt Aycliffe's right winger and amid the melee, both men got their marching orders.

There were several other bookings for both sides but the officials got it all wrong when Karl Lilley was allowed to get away with a two-footed tackle on Dion Raitt midway through the first half - the only punishment was visiting coach Brian Atkinson receiving his marching orders from the dugout for his protestations.

Aycliffe stole the lead when Broom tackled goalkeeper Robert Dean and scored from an acute angle just before half-time.
This came after Ste Richardson superbly denied Stewart twice as Stokesley looked to build on a run of 14 straight wins in the league.

In the second half Stokesley got level when Lilley squared for Andrew O'Shea to net after 58 minutes. O'Shea was also a scorer at Moore Lane Park when the sides met in October.

With Jarrow Roofing losing, Stokesley missed a chance to further enhance their promotion hopes, while Aycliffe got a point closer to Whitehaven in seventh as the Cumbrians fell at home to Whickham.