A FRIDAY NIGHT DOUBLE HEADER

West Allotment Celtic 1-0 Newcastle Benfield – Ebac Northern League Division One

Prudhoe YC Seniors 3 Ryton & Crawcrook Albion 1 – Ebac Northern League Division Two

WEST ALLOTMENT EDGE CLOSE ENCOUNTER

West Allotment Celtic edged past Newcastle Benfield in a close encounter.

Benfield almost took the lead just nine minutes in – Callum Guy cut inside from the right before seeing his thunderous effort tipped around the post by Dan Gladstone.

Until the 35th minute neither side were unable to create any other real chances. The heavy rain meant that both sides were slightly overhitting their final passes, breaking down their moves.

The away side came close again in the 38th minute, when Layton Watts picked out Dennis Knight in the box, with Knight placing his header just over the bar from close range.

West Allotment had a fantastic chance to score five minutes before the break. A defensive slip allowed Lucas Lowery-Matondo through on goal, however the forward could only fire his effort wide of the post.

Benfield came close again through Knight, who fired a sweetly struck half-volley wide of the post.

The hosts had another great chance to take the lead 20 minutes from time – Lowery-Matondo picked out Jack Pearson with a low cross, however his effort was cleared off the line by the Benfield defence.

West Allotment were awarded a penalty when Lowery-Matondo was hacked down in the area.  He stepped up and placed his spot kick down the middle to give West the lead seven minutes from time and they held off a flurry of late Benfield attacks to seal all three points.

West Allotment Celtic travel to Carlisle City in their next match, whilst Newcastle Benfield host Ashington.

Adam Gill

PRUDHOE TOO SHARP FOR RYTON

A record crowd of 362 were treated to a game of hard work  and honest endeavour by near neighbours, with a cracking goal providing the icing on the cake.

The first two goals came early, thanks to quick thinking and lack of focus.  Ryton took the lead in the 7th minute when Jordan Laidler took a quick free kick, finding Harvey Walsh in space in the Prudhoe box.  The No. 11 pulled the ball back to Harry Poole who tucked it inside the right hand post.  The lead only lasted five minutes.  Harry Mitchell chipped the ball forward, Matty Law got behind the Ryton defence who didn’t pick up the winger’s run and he nudged it past keeper Thomas Dawson to level it up at 1-1.  Ryton came close to re-establishing their lead on the half-hour mark, Thomas Ions selling a great dummy, allowing him to round a defender and hitting a shot that forced Prudhoe keeper Thomas White into an acrobatic save.

Neither team was dwelling on the ball, with many of the moves only lasting three or four passes.

In the 35th minute it was Dawson’s turn to produce an acrobatic save as Bradley Rogers tried to chip it over him.  They home side had the last chances of the half – Law showing good pace before knocking the ball in the danger area but Ryton full back Liam Lowery was able to reach it before it got to Joshua Scott and then Dawson stopping a Darren Graham shot with his feet.

Ten minutes after the re-start Prudhoe took the lead.  There didn’t seem to be much of a threat when the ball fell towards Mitchell who unleashed an unstoppable volley past Dawson who stood no chance of saving it.  It was a sweet strike that proved to be decisive.

The goal spurred Ryton on and they then had their best phase of play but their attacks floundered on the edge of the Prudhoe box.  At the other end, Dawson pulled off his second acrobatic save to deny Law but he could do little to stop Prudhoe’s third.  As Ryton pushed men forward in added time, the ball was booted long up to sub Trae Rowlandson who ran at goal before passing it across to Josh Scott who drove it into the net.

It may not have been the most elegant of games, but both teams put in a shift.

(PS – for those old enough to remember, Prudhoe No. 9 Craig Fairley tried to “Do A Dublin” just before the break – loitering behind Dawson in the hope the keeper would roll the ball out, allowing him to nick it from him and score; but the keeper took the precaution of looking around him to stymie the No. 9.

PPS – “Doing a Dublin” – when Coventry striker Dion Dublin caught Newcastle keeper Shay Given rolling the ball out before taking it off him and scoring at a game attended by your correspondent.  It led to the famous/infamous line that Given was the only Irishman who didn’t know where Dublin was.)

Mike Snowdon