Newton Aycliffe FC v Morpeth Town

By Paul McGeary
Allan Oliver got a belated Christmas present from his team as they extended their lead at the summit of Division Two following a goal-fest in this top-versus-bottom Bank Holiday clash.
With his side a mere goal to the good at half time against a Morpeth side with just two points on the board all season, news filtered through to a freezing Moore Lane Park that second-place Guisborough had lost 2-0 on their travels whilst fifth position side Marske had only managed a draw in their pursuit of the front-runners.
This seemed to galvanise what was a lacklustre Aycliffe display, and in the ensuing second period, the Newtonians ran in four goals to send the Highwaymen packing back to their Northumberland base, with bottom berth looking an almost certainty for Trevor Benjamin's side, even at this mid-point of the campaign.
If the second half was awash with goalmouth action, the preceding 45 minutes were starved as Aycliffe laboured in spite of taking the lead after just 16-seconds. Elliot Gardner robbed skipper Michael Hall on the edge of the area and squared for strike partner Warren Byrne who expertly turned the ball into the bottom corner with a delicate back-heeled flick.
The basement side steadied themselves after this sucker punch and Aycliffe found it hard to get any rhythm going on what was a rock solid playing surface, passed fit to play just an hour before kick-off.
Byrne had a sight of goal after 25 minutes but he blasted wide of goal having been presented by Gardner's headed knock-down while left-winger Stuart Owen had two half-chances as the interval loomed, first volleying weakly into 'keeper Craig Pickering's grasp before scooping a right-footed effort over the Town End crossbar from inside the area after good work from Paul Broom down the right.
Boss Oliver kept the visitors waiting at half-time as he locked his side in the dressing room to read the riot act and perhaps let them in on the score flashes filtering through from games elsewhere. Whatever was said had the desired effect as Aycliffe came out a different side in the second period and proceeded to put the game to bed and open up a healthy lead over the chasing pack.
Elliot Gardner rammed home a second on 58 minutes when he cut inside from the left-hand channel and fired low into Pickering's right-hand corner to give the hosts some breathing space. Last season's top scorer grabbed his ninth of the current campaign following a slow start which bore just three goals in the opening two months.
Just after the hour mark Oliver introduced Fred Woodhouse and Dan Mellanby, as he had done in the closing stages of his side's last game some 44 days previous, the two attacking players linking up that day to set up the stoppage-time victory over Chester-le-Street.
Just three minutes after his introduction, teenage hit man Woodhouse - the match day accompaniment's cover boy - rifled home from close range following Mark Peck's flick from Broom's left-wing corner to seal the points.
Aycliffe got their fourth in bizarre fashion with just eight minutes remaining on the clock. Mellanby, who by now was lavishing in his cameo role was felled inside the area having turned his marker inside-out. Twice. Regular spot-kick taker Byrne put the ball down but Pickering was equal to his under-par kick, saving low to his left.
As the ball rebounded out to Byrne, the 18-goal former Shildon man brutally smashed the ball toward the empty goal only to see his effort cannon back of the underside of the bar with the 178 in attendance in disbelief at what they were witnessing. Amid the chaos, Mellanby kept a cool head to tuck the second loose ball into the vacant bottom right-hand corner to secure his side's fourth of the afternoon.
The former Darlington forward wasn't finished there and in the final minute of the game his slide-rule ball to Broom sent the right-winger clear on goal, with the 23-year-old coolly rounding Pickering and slotting home into the empty net as the Newtonians hit five for just the second time this campaign.
Star Man - Sean TARLING
Mellanby had a fine 29-minute cameo while centre halves Peck and John Close marshalled the back-line with ease and aplomb all afternoon. Byrne, on another day would've had a hat-trick but skipper Tarling mastered the midfield all afternoon, breaking play up and engineering moves with exceptional passing and decision making alike.