Back
Tue 22 Mar 2011
Marske United
Newton Aycliffe FC
4
0
Newton Aycliffe FC v Marske United
Stephen Cunliffe22 Mar 2011 - 21:30
Share via
Match report
By Paul McGeary
Newton Aycliffe’s hopes of a second division double disappeared out to sea as they whimpered out of the Ernest Armstrong divisional cup away to fourth-placed Marske United.
Allan Oliver’s side were second best in every department on the night and even an appalling display from the referee wasn’t enough to shield what was the club’s second heaviest defeat in their Northern League history.
A brace from Derek Bradley either side of Steven Cochrane’s penalty gave the Seasiders an unassailable lead which was glossed in the final minutes when Benn Thompson came off the bench to notch his 152nd goal in Marske colours.
Lining up without the injured Mark Peck, Oliver restored Anth Campbell to the back-line while Josh Knox replaced Dan Mellanby in the starting XI, with Elliot Gardner moved further upfield. Stu Owen dropped to the bench for Paul Broom in the other change from Saturday’s cruise-control victory over Brandon.
Marske missed the cup-tied Karl Charlton but did recall burly striker Danny Brunskill after a spell out injured.
In what was a tentative opening, both sides offered half-chances as Brunskill shaved the outside of Pocklington’s left-hand upright with a 20-yard effort having turned John Close outside the area. At the other end Ben Wood stretched Jon McDonald in the home goal as he opted to shoot from an acute angle with Warren Byrne screaming for the cut-back.
In Wood’s defence, he had single-handedly carved the chance out for himself, leaving Adam Gell for dust with some fine trickery upon entering the box.
In the follow-up to McDonald’s parry, Broom saw his shot blocked inside the six yard box as skipper Stephen Gamble covered the gaping goal expertly.
Minutes before half time Marske took the lead which many visiting fans had foreseen as the hosts took the game to Oliver’s side, who had won 2-0 in the league fixture on the same ground back in October.
The Newtonians failed to properly deal with Gell’s right-wing centre and with former Boro midfielder Anth Ormerod firing back in from the left, Brunskill’s blocked shot fell kindly at the feet of Bradley who steered home left-footed from eight yards.
Brunskill almost double the lead on the stroke of half time but Scott Pocklington was equal to the former Whitby Town man’s powerful 20-yard effort, saving low to his left.
Mellanby replaced the hobbling Campbell at the break as Oliver reshuffled his leg-weary pack but despite some flashes of inspiration from the former Darlington striker, his side offered very little on what was fast becoming a bad night at the office.
Tarling was wrongly adjudged to have clipped the ankles of Bradley as he entered the box and Cochrane made no mistake from the spot, despite Pocklington’s best efforts on the hour mark as Marske took control.
Nine minutes later and Bradley got his second, and his side’s third of the evening in route-one fashion. A long McDonald punt bounced twice inside Aycliffe territory and with Bradley outstripping Chris Beckett as he ran in on goal, he had the simplest of tasks in slotting home at Pocklington’s near post.
The best the visitors had to offer the second period was a snap-shot from Wood which McDonald did well to parry and a Byrne header from eight yards which went harmlessly wide as Aycliffe recorded only their third blank of the season, and their first in over five months, dating back to the 2-0 reverse at Durham in November.
Substitute Thompson grabbed his third goal in as many games against Aycliffe when he swept home Ormerod’s left-footed cross at the near post at the second attempt with just eight minutes remaining to book the hosts’ place in the semi finals at home to either Team Northumbria or Darlington RA.
Paul Burton’s side still have one eye on a promotion berth themselves, something Oliver hopes his side can secure this Saturday when his side travel to Seaham Red Star.
Star Man – Dan MELLANBY
May have only been on the field for half the time as his team mates were, but the experienced striker made things happen in and around the final third with some fine ball-retention and link-up play. Skipper Tarling and winger Broom had busy spells on the night while Close proved a worthy opponent for the huge frame of Brunskill.
Newton Aycliffe’s hopes of a second division double disappeared out to sea as they whimpered out of the Ernest Armstrong divisional cup away to fourth-placed Marske United.
Allan Oliver’s side were second best in every department on the night and even an appalling display from the referee wasn’t enough to shield what was the club’s second heaviest defeat in their Northern League history.
A brace from Derek Bradley either side of Steven Cochrane’s penalty gave the Seasiders an unassailable lead which was glossed in the final minutes when Benn Thompson came off the bench to notch his 152nd goal in Marske colours.
Lining up without the injured Mark Peck, Oliver restored Anth Campbell to the back-line while Josh Knox replaced Dan Mellanby in the starting XI, with Elliot Gardner moved further upfield. Stu Owen dropped to the bench for Paul Broom in the other change from Saturday’s cruise-control victory over Brandon.
Marske missed the cup-tied Karl Charlton but did recall burly striker Danny Brunskill after a spell out injured.
In what was a tentative opening, both sides offered half-chances as Brunskill shaved the outside of Pocklington’s left-hand upright with a 20-yard effort having turned John Close outside the area. At the other end Ben Wood stretched Jon McDonald in the home goal as he opted to shoot from an acute angle with Warren Byrne screaming for the cut-back.
In Wood’s defence, he had single-handedly carved the chance out for himself, leaving Adam Gell for dust with some fine trickery upon entering the box.
In the follow-up to McDonald’s parry, Broom saw his shot blocked inside the six yard box as skipper Stephen Gamble covered the gaping goal expertly.
Minutes before half time Marske took the lead which many visiting fans had foreseen as the hosts took the game to Oliver’s side, who had won 2-0 in the league fixture on the same ground back in October.
The Newtonians failed to properly deal with Gell’s right-wing centre and with former Boro midfielder Anth Ormerod firing back in from the left, Brunskill’s blocked shot fell kindly at the feet of Bradley who steered home left-footed from eight yards.
Brunskill almost double the lead on the stroke of half time but Scott Pocklington was equal to the former Whitby Town man’s powerful 20-yard effort, saving low to his left.
Mellanby replaced the hobbling Campbell at the break as Oliver reshuffled his leg-weary pack but despite some flashes of inspiration from the former Darlington striker, his side offered very little on what was fast becoming a bad night at the office.
Tarling was wrongly adjudged to have clipped the ankles of Bradley as he entered the box and Cochrane made no mistake from the spot, despite Pocklington’s best efforts on the hour mark as Marske took control.
Nine minutes later and Bradley got his second, and his side’s third of the evening in route-one fashion. A long McDonald punt bounced twice inside Aycliffe territory and with Bradley outstripping Chris Beckett as he ran in on goal, he had the simplest of tasks in slotting home at Pocklington’s near post.
The best the visitors had to offer the second period was a snap-shot from Wood which McDonald did well to parry and a Byrne header from eight yards which went harmlessly wide as Aycliffe recorded only their third blank of the season, and their first in over five months, dating back to the 2-0 reverse at Durham in November.
Substitute Thompson grabbed his third goal in as many games against Aycliffe when he swept home Ormerod’s left-footed cross at the near post at the second attempt with just eight minutes remaining to book the hosts’ place in the semi finals at home to either Team Northumbria or Darlington RA.
Paul Burton’s side still have one eye on a promotion berth themselves, something Oliver hopes his side can secure this Saturday when his side travel to Seaham Red Star.
Star Man – Dan MELLANBY
May have only been on the field for half the time as his team mates were, but the experienced striker made things happen in and around the final third with some fine ball-retention and link-up play. Skipper Tarling and winger Broom had busy spells on the night while Close proved a worthy opponent for the huge frame of Brunskill.
Further reading
Team Sponsors
