Newton Aycliffe FC v Gillford Park

By Martin Walker
It was hardly vintage stuff – but Aycliffe ground out a hard-working win against Gillford Park on the West coast.
The Newtonians made a grim 110-mile trek to Whitehaven on Tuesday night but were rewarded with three valuable points after a patient performance in what was Gillford’s first ‘home’ game of the season.
The Cumbrian outfit were given a reprieve by the Northern League at a special meeting last week, meaning Aycliffe had to travel a further 40 miles for this fixture, held at the Cumberland Academy ground in Whitehaven.
But Allan Oliver’s men delivered a patient, professional display to chalk up their 17th league win of the season, thanks to a 74th-minute goal by Ben Wood and a 77th-minute penalty, won and scored by Warren Byrne.
The win delighted the seven travelling Aycliffe fans, with diehards Derrick Mawson, Peter Robinson, Michael Hopwood, Fred Burtle, Frank Batley and Stephen and Helen Broom making the long trip.
“We were over the moon for them as much as anyone,” said boss Oliver.
“We know how much the club means to them. I was just pleased to come away with three points. The attitude of the players was great.
“It’s not always easy to travel on a coach for two-and-a-half hours then jump straight into a game and we didn’t start the best, but after 20 minutes we were the better team and it was only a matter of time before we scored.”
There was very little to write home about during a scrappy first half in which both sides were indecisive and lacking in creativity.
Byrne might have done better with a half-chance in the 14th minute, opting to shoot when he should have squared, and Aycliffe’s top scorer headed just wide from Anth Campbell’s left-wing cross two minutes later.
Wood went close with a header from Stu Owen’s teasing ball after 26 minutes and there was very little else in terms of goalmouth action until first-half added time when Byrne rattled Gillford’s crossbar with a thunderous effort from just inside the box.
Elliot Gardner, excelling again in a central midfield role, shot just wide six minutes into the second half, and Paul Broom went close to opening the scoring on the hour when his clever lob nearly eluded Gillford ‘keeper Ryan Smith, but he just managed to tip it on to the crossbar and out to safety.
Campbell came out of his shell three minutes later with one of his trademark mazy runs. The left-back glided past two players before cutting inside on to his unfavoured right foot and flashed a shot just over the bar.
Aycliffe were starting to pressure their hosts and the visitors should have taken the lead in the 65th minute. Byrne did well to turn and shoot, only to see Smith parry it away, and substitute Dan Mellanby couldn’t get over the rebound and ballooned his effort well over.
It was only a matter of time before Aycliffe took the lead and the opener came 16 minutes from time with a superbly-worked goal. Sean Tarling played Gardner in to the left side of Gillford’s box with a measured ball, and the striker-turned-midfielder squarred across the goalmouth for young Wood to tap into an empty net.
The Newtonians doubled their advantage three minutes later when Mellanby slipped Byrne in and Gillford centre-back David Lynn bundled the striker over inside the box, with referee Stephen Whittacker pointing to the spot. Byrne coolly slotted his 20th goal of the season to make sure of maximum points and complete a worthwhile trip for Aycliffe.
STAR MAN: Elliot Gardner – defenders Chris Beckett and John Close were both in with a shout after accomplished displays at the back, while skipper Sean Tarling continued to lead by example with another wholehearted shift, but Gardner edged it with a classy performance in the centre of midfield, matching gritty doggedness with second-half creative guile.