Ferryhill Athletic met Barnard Castle for the second time in the league this season on Saturday and produced a blistering second half performance to claim a 4-2 victory at Tensfield, writes Chris Orton.
On a perfect day for football, Athletic found themselves kicking uphill in the first half against a very decent and tenacious Barnard Castle side. The home team had a couple of good shots early in the proceedings, but Ferryhill also went close through Michael Hogg who forced an excellent save from the Barnard Castle keeper. Shortly after this, Athletic went ahead when Matthew Agar neatly turned the ball home from a well-worked corner. Finlay Colwell then denied Barnard Castle by smartly trapping the ball on the line, but an equaliser came when Barney scored following good work down their left wing.
The game was evenly matched for a good while, with lots of opportunities for both sides. Deacon Simpson controlled things well in Athletic’s midfield, with good support coming from the rest of the team and clever play out from the back. The first half ended 1-1, with very little between the opponents.
The second period saw a much more determined Ferryhill side, with all of the players battling to the final whistle. Barnard Castle went ahead however, when they were awarded a clear penalty that they duly converted. This didn’t deter Athletic though, and some well-timed substitutions saw them step up a gear; Jay Roddam, Harley Cairns and Ellis Hare all coming on and making an immediate impression. It was centre-half Joe Langton who got things level however, with an unstoppable long-range shot that no keeper could have saved.
Athletic’s lead was then restored when Ellis Hare got the third, finishing well after good work from Cairns. Agar had a couple more good chances, before he put the match to bed with his second goal of the game, converting a great cross from Hare. Barnard Castle had a man sent off for a second yellow card close to the end, but the game had already been won by then. There were a number of contenders for Man of the Match in what was a magnificent team performance, but it was ultimately awarded to Deacon Simpson who impressed in his best game for a while.
Athletic currently sit sixth in the Premier Division table on 16 points, with games in hand over most of the sides above them. Athletic’s next game is in the league on Tuesday evening, as the Chapter goes to press away to third-place Gateshead Leam Rangers. Kick-off is 7.30pm. This is followed by a game away to Esh Winning & Deerness Valley, who currently occupy seventh on goal difference, on the evening of Friday 23 October at Waterhouses.