Bishop Auckland FC’s FA Vase campaign ended for another season after a 4-1 defeat at the hands of 1874 Northwich on 23rd November.
The Blues were able to field a stronger side than the team that lost 6-2 to Marske during the week, with Captain Sean Tarling returning to the side and striker Jon Butler also back in the squad, taking his place on the bench.
The game started fairly even, with both teams making advances into the opposition’s areas. However, Northwich were creating the better of the chances and took advantage of this on the 19th minute, when Stuart Wellstead headed home for the visitors from a left-sided cross. Ten minutes later, Bishop were 2 goals down when Matthew Woolley side-footed the ball at the near post, getting on the end of a corner from Jamie Tandy.
After the second goal, Northwich seemed to let their guard down and allowed the blues back in the game. Moments after forcing a save from Matthew Conkie, Stuart Thompson fired a thunderbolt of a shot in the top corner of the visitor’s net on the 42nd minute to give Bishop a lifeline. And the home side went into the dressing room at half time with every hope of a comeback as Northwich were reduced to 10 men before the break. With tensions already starting to build between the sides, defender Adam Bayley saw red after stamping on the head of Andrew Johnson.
So with a goal just before the break and Northwich down to ten, the momentum looked to be shifting in favour of the blues at the start of the second half.
However, 1874 quickly ended any hope of a Bishop’s comeback, restoring their 2 goal advantage on the 53rd minute when Scott Pocklington fumbled a shot from opening goal scorer Wellstead, landing at the feet of Mattie Beadle to tap in from close range.
And it was Beadle’s second goal that ended Bishop’s Vase ambitions for another year, with the Northwich number 9 getting on the end of another cross, this time from Wellstead, on the 67th minute to volley home from a few yards out and book the visitors’ place in the next round.
Bishops tried to muster up some chances after the 4th and had a shot cleared off the line towards the end, but were unable to pull themselves back in the match. 1874 Northwich’s victory saw the visitors extend their unbeaten run to 18 matches in all competitions.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
