Bishop Auckland Football Club prepared for their FA Vase tie this weekend by leapfrogging arch rivals Shildon to go top of the Northern League Division One table after coming from behind to defeat Whitley Bay 1-2 on the road.
And the Two Blues will travel a few miles further north this weekend to Gateway Park, where they will take on Blyth Town in the Third Round of the FA Vase.
With no replays at this stage of the competition, ties that end in a draw after 90 minutes will be decided by a penalty shootout.
Bishops’ table-topping rivals at the start of the day, just like the Two Blues, fell behind in their game, but unlike Shildon, who drew at home to Redcar Athletic, Bishops fought back to claim all three points and claim top spot in the division.
The hosts began the game the better on Saturday and afer 25 minutes were rewarded when a good passing move down the right unlocked the Bishop defence for Andrew Cartwright to jink past two players before finishing well.
It took until the 65th minute for Bishops to unlock the home defence and it was a Liam Henderson who found the key, lashing high into the roof of the net after Bay switched off at a quickly taken throw-in.
Then, in the 77th minute, as John Howard surged forward, the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot when he was felled just inside the box.
Up stepped Shaaban Mohammed to give the keeper no chance, firing home off the inside of the keeper’s right hand post for his first goal for the club.
Bishops almost made certain in the 81st minute but Rio May’s header glanced the top of the bar.
However, the Two Blues held out, and with other results also going in their favour, moved to the top of the pile ahead of their crucial FA Vase tie this weekend.
Blyth Town are also riding high, at the top of Northern League Division Two with two games in hand, and earned their place in the Third Round with a 2-1 home win over AFC Liverpool.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
