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Wed 07 Jul 2010
Cleveland Bridge
Newton Aycliffe FC
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6
Newton Aycliffe FC v Cleveland Bridge
Stephen Cunliffe7 Jul 2010 - 19:30
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Match report
By Paul McGeary
Elliot Gardner grabbed a 10-minute hat-trick during an enthralling first half which saw the Northern League side brush the Wearside new-boys to one side.
Last season’s top scorer gave the travelling Aycliffe contingent a sign that the goals haven’t dried up by netting first from close range when found by a Fred Woodhouse pull-back just before the quarter hour mark.
His second was a near post header from a Paul Broom centre whilst he saved the best for last by volleying in with his left foot from 12-yards midway through the first period.
Sadly his game was ended shortly after, when a knee-high tackle went unpunished from the referee. Richie Christer, a triallist, replaced Gardner, who also sent a warning out to new signing Warren Byrne – watching on due to a knee injury of his own – that he doesn’t intend to play second fiddle in the goalscoring stakes this term.
It was Josh Knox who opened the scoring before Gardner took centre stage, the former Aycliffe youth smashing into the top corner from 25-yards, when found by another triallist, Jamie Poole, training with the club having left Bedlington Terriers at the end of last season.
Goals from Sean Tarling, and a tap-in by Broom completed the first half rout as Aycliffe went nap at a windy, and bobbly Eastbourne Sports Complex.
Bridge changed their entire XI at half time, and just 30 seconds after the restart, they nabbed a goal back when their goalkeeper came for a ball he was never winning, and got duly embarrassed as the striker headed over him and into an empty net from the edge of the area.
Aycliffe’s dynamic changed from gung-ho goal-grabbing to confident, assured passing and keep-ball exercises in the second half and both Wayne Hall and Anth Campbell impressed on the left hand side following their introduction.
Michael Heckley, formerly of West Auckland stood out in the back four whilst Dan Lennon completed 90 minutes as he looks to impress having finally shaken off his troublesome fitness worries of last year.
MATCH FACTS
Goals: Knox 11, Gardner 14, 19 & 24, Tarling 40, Broom 45+1
Crowd: 45 (HC*)
Team: Triallist, Close, Heckley, Davies, Poole, Broom, Knox, Tarling, Woodhouse, Gardner, Lennon
Rolling Subs: Campbell, McMullen, Raitt, Hall, Christer (triallist)
Elliot Gardner grabbed a 10-minute hat-trick during an enthralling first half which saw the Northern League side brush the Wearside new-boys to one side.
Last season’s top scorer gave the travelling Aycliffe contingent a sign that the goals haven’t dried up by netting first from close range when found by a Fred Woodhouse pull-back just before the quarter hour mark.
His second was a near post header from a Paul Broom centre whilst he saved the best for last by volleying in with his left foot from 12-yards midway through the first period.
Sadly his game was ended shortly after, when a knee-high tackle went unpunished from the referee. Richie Christer, a triallist, replaced Gardner, who also sent a warning out to new signing Warren Byrne – watching on due to a knee injury of his own – that he doesn’t intend to play second fiddle in the goalscoring stakes this term.
It was Josh Knox who opened the scoring before Gardner took centre stage, the former Aycliffe youth smashing into the top corner from 25-yards, when found by another triallist, Jamie Poole, training with the club having left Bedlington Terriers at the end of last season.
Goals from Sean Tarling, and a tap-in by Broom completed the first half rout as Aycliffe went nap at a windy, and bobbly Eastbourne Sports Complex.
Bridge changed their entire XI at half time, and just 30 seconds after the restart, they nabbed a goal back when their goalkeeper came for a ball he was never winning, and got duly embarrassed as the striker headed over him and into an empty net from the edge of the area.
Aycliffe’s dynamic changed from gung-ho goal-grabbing to confident, assured passing and keep-ball exercises in the second half and both Wayne Hall and Anth Campbell impressed on the left hand side following their introduction.
Michael Heckley, formerly of West Auckland stood out in the back four whilst Dan Lennon completed 90 minutes as he looks to impress having finally shaken off his troublesome fitness worries of last year.
MATCH FACTS
Goals: Knox 11, Gardner 14, 19 & 24, Tarling 40, Broom 45+1
Crowd: 45 (HC*)
Team: Triallist, Close, Heckley, Davies, Poole, Broom, Knox, Tarling, Woodhouse, Gardner, Lennon
Rolling Subs: Campbell, McMullen, Raitt, Hall, Christer (triallist)
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