Newton Aycliffe FC v Billingham Synthonia

By Glen RobertsonNewton Aycliffe are up to fifth in the Northern League first division after a 2-1 victory against Billingham Synthonia at Moore Lane Park.
Goals from strike-duo Ben Wood and Dale Jardine sealed a fifth win of the season and gained a measure of revenge against the Synners for the FA Cup defeat in August.
The returning Scott Pocklington saved Nathan Jameson’s 70th-minute spot-kick, though his goal was breached by Daniel Earl two minutes later to set up a nervy finale.
The build-up to the game was centred on Synthonia’s 7-2 victory at Moore Lane Park in the FA Cup, with Aycliffe wanting to prove it was just an off-day.
There were a few nervous faces among the 213-strong crowd when the away side created a chance after just 30 seconds – Jameson’s close-range effort was blocked by a lunging John Close – but Aycliffe soon settled into the game.
There was little goalmouth action until the game sprang to life in the 17th-minute. Paul Broom’s left-wing corner was only cleared as far as Stuart Owen on the edge of the area, and the winger’s shot was adjudged to have been blocked by a Synners hand in the area.
Ben Wood stepped up and smashed his penalty right down the middle of Josh Moody’s goal to give Aycliffe the lead.
Both sides came within inches of scoring in the following five minutes. First Jardine narrowly failed to connect with Broom’s downward header, before Earl was just unable to get a telling touch at the back post from Matthew Crossen’s corner.
Aycliffe were denied a second by an excellent save from Moody. Jardine received Wood’s pass on the edge of the area, before turning his marker and hitting a rasping left-footed drive that was expertly tipped over by the Synners ‘keeper.
There were a couple of nervy moments for Aycliffe just before the interval. First David Hillerby and Jameson both saw shots blocked during a game of pinball in the home-side’s penalty area, before Pocklington was beaten by Earl on the edge of the area, but the ‘keeper managed to smother the ball at the second attempt before the winger could get his shot away.
Aycliffe came out the traps the quickest in the second-half and Jardine released Wood clean through on goal, but Moody was able to parry the striker’s shot. Josh Knox then forced the ‘keeper into another stop and from the resulting corner Broom fired narrowly wide.
Just after the hour-mark Aycliffe doubled their lead. Anthony Campbell’s right-footed cross found Jardine in the area, who glanced a header into the bottom left-hand corner of Moody’s goal.
But the game was far from finished. Close brought down substitute Matthew McQueeney in the area and the referee pointed to the spot for a penalty, but Pocklington pulled off a superb diving save to deny Jameson.
It wasn’t long until the visitors did pull one back, as Earl – who scored a hat-trick at Moore Lane Park in the FA Cup game – fired an unstoppable finish into the roof of Pocklington’s net.
There were a few nervy moments as the game reached its conclusion, and the announcement of five-minutes of stoppage-time received a few groans, but Aycliffe saw out the game to maintain their excellent start to life in the first division.
 
Star Man
Dale Jardine – handful!