EXPERIENCE v WORK IN PROGRESS

Newton Aycliffe 2 Billingham Town 0 – Ebac Northern League Division One

A tale of two very different teams.

On the one hand Newton Aycliffe:  experienced and battle-hardened in the first division.  Up against Billingham Town:  a team of hard work and organisation but still work in progress.

Experience won the night.

Aycliffe were able to craft a couple of clear-cut openings and made the most of them, although the first – in the 7th minute – was a somewhat strange pinball goal coming from a move down the home team’s left wing.

Joe Ferguson and Liam Jarvie swapped passes before Jarvie was given the chance to strike, with his shot first of all hitting Town right full back Anthony Verity before rebounding off left full back Andrew Nelson and into the net past a stranded keeper Jack Norton.

Winger Ethan Wood set up the second goal in the 69th minute, knocking a ball through a couple of defenders and Norton, with the cross met by Andrei-Vasile Ardelean who nudged it home.

In and around the goals, it was a game of effort over elan.

Aycliffe had most of the possession but couldn’t create the opportunities to score to go with it.  For their part Billingham Town were able to launch sporadic forays forward but spent much of the time defending in numbers, especially when striker Harry Close was sin binned.

Aycliffe’s best other chance came in added time at the end of the first half.  A cross into the goalmouth by Ardelean was headed clear by Verity who was only a couple of yards out from his goal line, with a Aycliffe striker ready to pounce.

Billy Town made a more positive start after the re-start with a more attacking mind set but that had dissipated by the time Aycliffe got their second and then they seemed to run out of ideas.

Aycliffe finished strongly – subs Ben Dibb-Fuller and Lewis Walton having a shot blocked and a shot hit into the side netting, with their final attack seeing Jarvie try to set up Marc Costello up but the pass was just of the the No. 6’s reach as he ran goalwards.

Finally a quick word about Billingham manager Graeme Clark who spent the entire match cajoling, encouraging, organising his team and was involved in the match as any of his players.  I’m not sure how his voice held out over the 90 minutes.  He even had a bit of time to exchange pleasantries with Aycliffe captain Aaron Brown, although I’m not sure they’ll be on each other’s Christmas card list.

Mike Snowdon