As the Northern League title race headed into the final ten fixtures on the first Saturday in March, Bishop Auckland FC restored their six-point lead at the top of Division One when they put four goals past North Shields to no reply at Heritage Park.
A Marcus Giles double either side of the break (21, 69), and further second half goals from Dean Thexton (53) and Craig Gott (65) ensured the gap at the top would widen back to six points when, on the same afternoon, second-place Shildon’s visit to Heaton Stannington was postponed.
And while both sides were able to play last weekend, Bishops’ 7-0 trouncing of Sunderland RCA at Heritage Park ensured Shildon had to win at Newcastle Benfield, which they did with a late flurry of goals to maintain their hopes of taking Bishops to the wire.
Bishops goals came from Andrew May (27), Dean Thexton (32 and 36), Jake Hackett (66), Joseph Bartliff (77) and Dane Burlace with a double in the final four minutes (86 and 90).
While respecting their opponent, it was always going to be a case of how many against their doomed visitors and the Two Blues ensured their tally took them back into the lead in the table’s goal difference column.
The Railwaymen’s resurgence since their 1-5 loss to Bishops on Boxing Day had seen them overtake the Two Blues on goals scored and goal difference, but once more it is the Heritage Park side who lead the way in all the crucial statistics.
With 104 goals scored and just 25 conceded, Bishops have a positive goal difference of 79 to Shildon’s 75, albeit they too have broken the 100 goals scored barrier this season.
Postponements for both title rivals mean they have now each played 29 games and, with just nine remaining, the derby between the sides on 1 April looks increasingly like a potential title decider, more particularly so if the Two Blues prevail.
Before then, however, there is the matter of a visit to North Shields this weekend and the visit of Penrith the following Saturday to take care of.
In the same period, Shildon are scheduled to play three times: against Heaton Stannington, then Crook and North Shields, all at Dean Street, meaning they could be within three points of the top heading into the Heritage Park derby.
For much of the season it has looked like a procession to the title for Bishops. Their local rivals have complicated that route somewhat, albeit while creating a more interesting, and nerve-wracking, season finale.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
