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Sat 12 Feb 2011
Newton Aycliffe FCHorden CW
P Broom (0'), (0'), W Byrne (0'), (0'), (0'), (0'), D Mellanby (0'), F Woodhouse (0')
8
2
Newton Aycliffe FC v Horden CW
Stephen Cunliffe12 Feb 2011 - 17:00
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Match report
By Paul McGeary
Newton Aycliffe overcame a lethargic opening to record their highest victory of the campaign, and their second largest goal haul in Northern League history.
Allan Oliver’s side were two goals down inside 28 minutes at home to lowly Horden, the first time in three months that they has conceded more than once in a league encounter.
After skipper Tom Gavin’s fine 16-yard angled drive in the seventh minute was followed by Kevin Boddy’s poached effort just minutes before the half hour mark, many in attendance could have been forgiven for thinking that the league leaders has failed to shake off the hangover which was a heavy defeat to Northern League champions Spennymoor just days previous.
With Stuart Owen replacing Anth Campbell at left-back and Craig Mickle tasked with filling Elliot Gardner’s boots in midfield, the hosts failed to find any cohesion to their play which had previously rewarded them with an unbeaten 18-game streak.
A scrappy Warren Byrne effort in the 32nd minute gave the home side some salvation with their only prior effort on goal seeing Mark Peck’s close-range stab hacked to safety from the Gretna-End goal-line.
Parity was restored in first half stoppage time as a dramatic series of events saw the game flipped on its head. Skipper Sean Tarling saw his goal bound lob beat ‘keeper Grant Herbert but not covering 16-year-old defender Lloyd Evans, whose acrobatic tip-over resulted in his dismissal from the field.
Byrne stepped up but found Herbert equal to what was his third penalty miss of the season, with Paul Broom on hand to spare blushes as he rifled home the rebound from an acute angle in the ensuing melee.
The second half emerged as one-way traffic with Oliver’s outfit grasping a stranglehold on the game just 45-seconds the second period.
Dan Mellanby – outstanding all afternoon – expertly held the ball up on the edge of the area before exquisitely crossing to the back-post with the outside of his right foot to Fred Woodhouse who steered home unmarked for his fifth goal of the season.
Byrne slotted a fourth in the 73rd minute, having seen a perfectly legitimate goal scratched for a late offside call 15 minutes earlier. In between times, the ex-Shildon hitman smashed the face of the crossbar with a fine volley as he sensed goals in what was swaying towards an Aycliffe land-slide.
Owen’s right-foot effort stretched Herbert on 74 minutes before Broom scored at the second attempt a minute later having initially struck the upright from Mellanby’s unselfishly squared pass.
With the points safe against a tired 10-men, Oliver introduced his teenage nephew James to the fray for the final 12 minutes and Aycliffe’s youth team captain was orchestral in two of the three goals which followed in a cameo finale for the table topping giants.
Firstly he finely slid Byrne through for his hat-trick goal before he played a cool one-two with Mickle which saw the former Whitehill FC man rattle the bar in setting up Byrne’s fourth with minutes left.
Mellanby iced his cake in injury time with his side’s eighth, and his seventh of the season as he outstripped both defence and Herbert to a Mickle chipped pass before stroking into the empty net to cap a fine afternoon.
Star Man – Dan MELLANBY
Byrne should not be overlooked as he grabbed the first-ever four-goal haul in Newtonian Northern League history whilst Mickle and Tarling put in fine midfield showings against a young and vibrant opposition. Mellanby however done everything right and scored on an afternoon when his experience was vital to a side who found themselves two-goals down for only the second time all season in the league.
Newton Aycliffe overcame a lethargic opening to record their highest victory of the campaign, and their second largest goal haul in Northern League history.
Allan Oliver’s side were two goals down inside 28 minutes at home to lowly Horden, the first time in three months that they has conceded more than once in a league encounter.
After skipper Tom Gavin’s fine 16-yard angled drive in the seventh minute was followed by Kevin Boddy’s poached effort just minutes before the half hour mark, many in attendance could have been forgiven for thinking that the league leaders has failed to shake off the hangover which was a heavy defeat to Northern League champions Spennymoor just days previous.
With Stuart Owen replacing Anth Campbell at left-back and Craig Mickle tasked with filling Elliot Gardner’s boots in midfield, the hosts failed to find any cohesion to their play which had previously rewarded them with an unbeaten 18-game streak.
A scrappy Warren Byrne effort in the 32nd minute gave the home side some salvation with their only prior effort on goal seeing Mark Peck’s close-range stab hacked to safety from the Gretna-End goal-line.
Parity was restored in first half stoppage time as a dramatic series of events saw the game flipped on its head. Skipper Sean Tarling saw his goal bound lob beat ‘keeper Grant Herbert but not covering 16-year-old defender Lloyd Evans, whose acrobatic tip-over resulted in his dismissal from the field.
Byrne stepped up but found Herbert equal to what was his third penalty miss of the season, with Paul Broom on hand to spare blushes as he rifled home the rebound from an acute angle in the ensuing melee.
The second half emerged as one-way traffic with Oliver’s outfit grasping a stranglehold on the game just 45-seconds the second period.
Dan Mellanby – outstanding all afternoon – expertly held the ball up on the edge of the area before exquisitely crossing to the back-post with the outside of his right foot to Fred Woodhouse who steered home unmarked for his fifth goal of the season.
Byrne slotted a fourth in the 73rd minute, having seen a perfectly legitimate goal scratched for a late offside call 15 minutes earlier. In between times, the ex-Shildon hitman smashed the face of the crossbar with a fine volley as he sensed goals in what was swaying towards an Aycliffe land-slide.
Owen’s right-foot effort stretched Herbert on 74 minutes before Broom scored at the second attempt a minute later having initially struck the upright from Mellanby’s unselfishly squared pass.
With the points safe against a tired 10-men, Oliver introduced his teenage nephew James to the fray for the final 12 minutes and Aycliffe’s youth team captain was orchestral in two of the three goals which followed in a cameo finale for the table topping giants.
Firstly he finely slid Byrne through for his hat-trick goal before he played a cool one-two with Mickle which saw the former Whitehill FC man rattle the bar in setting up Byrne’s fourth with minutes left.
Mellanby iced his cake in injury time with his side’s eighth, and his seventh of the season as he outstripped both defence and Herbert to a Mickle chipped pass before stroking into the empty net to cap a fine afternoon.
Star Man – Dan MELLANBY
Byrne should not be overlooked as he grabbed the first-ever four-goal haul in Newtonian Northern League history whilst Mickle and Tarling put in fine midfield showings against a young and vibrant opposition. Mellanby however done everything right and scored on an afternoon when his experience was vital to a side who found themselves two-goals down for only the second time all season in the league.
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