Newton Aycliffe FC v Tow Law Town

By Paul McGeary
After a run which saw them record no victories from six outings in March, Newton Aycliffe secured back-to-back wins so far in April with a hard-fought victory at already relegated Tow Law Town.
The 2-1 win wasn’t without incident though, as Newtonians goalkeeper Scott Pocklington was harshly sent off after half an hour, meaning last week’s hat-trick hero Warren Byrne had to don the gloves for the remainder of the game.
Thankfully at that point, Allan Oliver’s side held a two-goal advantage, which in truth should have been more and could have been more before the referee signalled for half-time.
Player-Manager Ian Davison halved the arrears with a well-taken free-kick with 20 minutes remaining and despite a few nervy moments, the 10-men held on to claim the points and climb back into the top-eight positions in the table.
Five minutes were on the clock when the first real raid on goal resulted in Aycliffe’s opener. Fred Woodhouse benefitted from the referee’s advantage, and his cross from the left-wing created panic amongst Lawyers defenders resulting in the ball deflecting into the net off Scott Arnott.
Two minutes later and Nathan Wilson stung the palms of ‘keeper Stephen Robinson with a finely struck 25-yard effort, low to the stopper’s left.
Wilson was the architect of Aycliffe’s second when he superbly lofted a 30-yard ball onto the toe of Paul Broom who had stolen in behind left-back Davison. The winger steadied himself before cutely poking past Robinson using the outside of his right boot.
Byrne should have added a third minutes later when he got the better of Stephen Tobin but lacked composure as he smashed his 12-yard effort over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
The same man almost netted on 25 minutes when he arrowed across goal from the edge of the area after some fine work from the tireless Woodhouse, benefitting from a free-role amongst the lone striker.
The game’s contentious moment came after 30 minutes when striker Marc Nixon closed in on Pocklington’s goal after outstripping Steven Gibson.
Pocklington advanced off his line and slid from his box to thwart Nixon, but the referee ruled the ball to have struck the 21-year-old’s arm when it looked clear to most it had actually made contact with the giant ‘keeper’s shoulder.
After conferring with the linesman, Pocklington was shown a red card meaning Byrne reverted from goal poacher to goal saver, with no named ‘keeper amongst the Aycliffe substitutes.
Despite their obvious advantages, Tow Law failed to capitalise as Aycliffe looked the more likely to score.
Broom’s right-wing centre found Wilson who cushioned a header to Stuart Owen who watched as Robinson smothered his effort before Tobin cleared the scraps off the goal-line.
On the stroke of half-time a Wilson free-kick was only cleared back to him and the former Sunderland Academy product forced Robinson into a fine clawing save as he bent a tremendous effort towards the top corner from 20-yards out.
The second half bore better fruit for the hosts but they found stand-in stopper Byrne in inspired form. First the 29-year-old saved superbly from sub Lee Dial and minutes later he thwarted Andrew Thompson rushing off his line.
Amid the melee that ensued, Dial struck the crossbar from an acute angle before James Oliver cleared the danger for the visitors.
On 70 minutes Davison done as he had done in the reverse fixture as he superbly fired a left-footed free-kick into the Aycliffe top corner with Byrne this time helpless to preserve a clean sheet.
Tobin almost rescued a point as Layers laid siege to the weary Aycliffe back-four, but the giant centre-back could only watch as his back post header went the wrong side of the upright when he perhaps should have found the target.
Sub Dan Mellanby released Broom in injury time but once more Robinson produced heroics to tip over as the referee brought proceedings – and Aycliffe’s travels this season – to a close.
Star Man
Fred Woodhouse - Workhorse