Bishop Auckland FC began their latest series of matches positively with a narrow scoreline in their favour when they progressed to the next round of the FA Cup on Saturday 16 August, reports Gavin Hadden.
However, two defeats, including an early exit from the FA Trophy on penalties to Consett, and the first league loss of the season, at home to local rivals, Newton Aycliffe on Bank Holiday Monday, brought an end to the Two Blues’ unbeaten start to the competitive season.
While the FA Cup scoreline suggested a closely fought game, and taking nothing away from a spirited Horden side, it should have been a much more comfortable win.
Dean Thexton grabbed both goals in the first half and there were many missed chances as the gulf in divisions showed.
Roberts was very lively early on and after seeing a shot drift just wide he threaded through Thexton after 25 minutes, the striker finishing with aplomb, lifting the ball over Dean.
It was very much one way traffic with Blackford striking the post, but it took until just before the interval for Thexton to grab his sixth goal of the season.
Metz dribbled into the box, laid it to Roberts who flicked the ball into the path of Thexton for a simple finish.
The visitors halved the deficit two minutes short of the hour mark, after Bishops had squandered several opportunities, Voss rising high to head home a lovely cross.
This briefly roused the Northern League club as another attack ended in a shot blasted over the bar.
Jarvie was again introduced midway through the half to continue his build up of match fitness, and he showed his danger by striking the bar with five minute of normal time left.
The final whistle saw Bishops progress to a 1st Qualifying Round where they will host Manchester outfit Chadderton at Heritage Park this weekend.
The scheduled midweek match against Redcar Athletic instead became the first postponement of the season as the early league leaders took two attempts to get past Guisborough Town in their own FA Cup tie.
But the midweek break failed to provide any advantage the following Saturday as the Two Blues were dumped out of the FA Trophy at Consett.
The home side struck early through captain, Marc Costello, volleying home Brendan Daniels’ free kick after just five minutes.
Bishops almost levelled just after the half hour when Roberts struck the post from a corner.
Consett should have doubled their lead just before the break when Matty Todd was brought down in the box, but Alfie Gordon saved Roberts’ penalty to keep the Two Blues in the tie.
Just five miutes after the break Bishops were back on level terms as that man Theaxton was again on hand to volley home debutant Nathan Thomas’ free kick.
Neither side, however, was able to make the decisive breakthrough and the tie was decided by penalties after the 90 minutes.
The Two Blues took the early advantage in the shootout when Gordon saved Consett’s second penalty, but home keeper, Harry Moss, immediately saved to keep the home side in it.
With each side’s next three penalties converted, Bishops blinked first when Isaac Coppinger’s effort was saved and Consett’s Costello made no mistake to put the home side into the next round.
With the cup exit blues lingering, Bishops were duly punished in front of a 590 crowd for a sloppy and lacklustre performance against a young, energetic Newton Aycliffe on a warm sunny bank holiday afternoon.
The visitors took the lead with their first attack on 25 minutes after veteran Deverdic prodded home a rebound off the underside of the bar.
Eratt-Thompson squandered a great opportunity to draw the game level four minutes later when he sliced wide from a perfect Thexton lay off.
Aycliffe dished out further punishment on 34 minutes when a low cross picked out an unmarked Lowery at the far post to bundle home.
A raft of subs were made to try and inject life into Bishops, but within three minutes of the restart a sloppy pass was intercepted and Nkunku blasted the ball inside Gordon’s near post.
On the hour, Bishops were given a route back into the game when Jarvie was felled inside the box, and although Thexton had his initial kick saved, he blasted in the rebound.
Bishops pushed on and Thomas grabbed a goal with four minutes left, latching onto a Spence header to score.
Seven minutes of stoppage time saw a Coppinger shot narrowly wide but the Newtonians clung on for an impressive win.
Next up this Saturday is that FA Cup tie before a sequence of three away ties in the league: at Garforth the following Tuesday evening, North Ferriby on Saturday 13 September and at Blyth Town the next midweek, on Tuesday 16th.
Gavin Hadden
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
