Seventh heaven for Aycliffe

Northallerton Town 1-7 Newton Aycliffe
Newton Aycliffe dominated from start to finish at The Calvert Stadium as they ran out emphatic 7-1 winners over Northallerton Town on a remarkable night in the Ebac Northern League Division One.

Liam Jarvie and Jake Petitjean both scored twice with Adam Burnicle, Connor Phelan and Ethan Wood also getting on the scoresheet before Nathan Stephenson added an excellent consolation goal four minutes from time.

Aycliffe could have hit double figures had they converted more of their openings including a penalty which Burnicle blazed over the bar as a further two strong spot kick claims went unanswered.

It was almost the complete performance from start to finish by Colin Stromsoy’s men who find themselves fourth in the table just three points behind Hebburn Town.

There were three changes from Saturday’s Buildbase FA Vase success over Billingham Synthonia as Callum Munro returned in the centre of defence in place of Aidan McGee having been cup tied at the weekend with Ben Dibb-Fuller and Burnicle replacing Ben Reay and Arran Wearmouth in attack.

The game was merely 90 seconds old when Aycliffe hit the front foot.

Michael Rae found himself under pressure from Wood in midfield and misplaced a pass straight into the feet of Jarvie who ran at the Northallerton defence before slipping it to his left into the path of Burnicle.

The striker skipped onto his right foot before firing low underneath the goalkeeper to give Aycliffe the best possible start.

The visitors continued their impressive start and Lewis Walton forced another mistake from the home side four minutes later but Northallerton were let off the hook on this occasion as Jarive curled just over the bar from the edge of the area.

Dibb-Fuller was brought down by Thomas Marron in the 10th minute for what looked to be a certain penalty, but the midfielder bounced straight back up onto his feet which might have worked against him.

Burnicle dragged an effort just wide of Thomas Dawson’s post in the 14th minute after a quick counter attack caught the home side out before Dawson was on hand two minutes later to deny Dibb-Fuller from capping a wonderful Aycliffe move.

It was a dominant opening 20 minutes and Stromsoy’s side finally got the second goal they richly deserved through Jarvie who hammered home Walton’s deep cross from the left at the far post.

Jarvie missed the chance to double his tally five minutes later when Burnicle’s cross from the right bounced its way through to him in the six yard box but he was unable to get enough power on his effort at goal.

Aycliffe were awarded a penalty just after the half hour mark when Walton’s through ball set Jarvie racing clear and he got a toe on the ball first before being taken down by Dawson.

Burnicle stepped up and opted for power but sent his spot kick over the bar.

The third goal did arrive minutes later though when Walton again was able to drive at the Northallerton defence. His through ball found Phelan who at the second time of asking was able to find the back of the net to give Aycliffe a commanding lead.

Walton was denied a penalty himself before the break when James Risbrough body checked him in the area again going unnoticed.

But Aycliffe would punish Northallerton 60 seconds later when Dibb-Fuller, Burnicle and Petitjean raced clear of the defence as Burnicle committed the goalkeeper before rolling across the six yard box to Petitjean who calmly slotted home the fourth goal of the half.

Aycliffe might have equalled their five goal first half haul at Thornaby in September on the stroke of half time when Walton, perhaps the standout player of the first half, fizzed an effort at goal from the angle of the penalty area that crashed off the post and behind for a goal kick.

It was a mesmerising half from Aycliffe and they continued in the second half when Petitjean added his second of the game on the hour mark.

Jarvie found space down the left before cutely back heeling into the path of Walton whose cross found the midfielder at the back post to head home a fifth.

As the cold fog began to bellow into The Calvert Stadium Aycliffe were in no mood to let up and they added a sixth through Wood who stroked Dibb-Fuller’s lay off in off the post from the edge of the penalty area giving Dawson no chance.

Dibb-Fuller almost got in on the act himself minutes later when Wood found him in the penalty area but his deft chip went narrowly over the bar.

The Newtonian’s were in seventh heaven six minutes from time when Marc Costello and Reay both hassled Northallerton into another error at the back with the latter putting it on a plate for Jarvie on the edge of the six yard box who rolled the ball back across the keeper for his second of the night.

The shine was ever so slightly taken off the evening when Stephenson scored an excellent consolation for the home side when he was able to lob Adam Pickford from the edge of the area with the nimblest of chips.

But with seven goals and another three points it was a memorable night for Aycliffe who remain the only team unbeaten in the Ebac Northern League Division One table.