INSERT WINN PUN HERE…..
Both teams went into this match in unfamiliar territory compared to last season. Stockton had some points on the board, which made a welcome change from last season’s start, and Bishop Auckland look almost unrecognisable from the team that struggled in 2017/18.
The visitors continued their good early season form with a couple of goals but no-one would have complained if this had finished 0-0 – it would have been a really entertaining game of football played at full pelt even if no-one had found the net.
After 45 minutes there wasn’t much between the two teams, but Bishop Auckland were the better team in the second and deserved their win.
And leading the way and leading the line for them was their No. 9 Christopher Winn. He had an exemplary second half, full of effort, hard work and a precious goal.
The game started with both sides in top gear and the speed of passes, movement and runs didn’t relent for much of the rest of the 90 minutes. It was attack followed by counter-attack, with end-to-end football.
At times both defences were stretched to the limit and there was plenty of attacking vigour, but both back lines did pretty good jobs of protecting their keepers – neither having to make too many difficult saves in the first half.
The balance of the game shifted Bishops’ way after the re-start, despite Stockton having their own chances to take the lead.
Stockton’s Fred Woodhouse saw a 35-yard shot deflected for a corner and then Bishops’ captain Michael Hoganson cleared a Christopher Stockton shot off the line. Bishop Auckland replied with a double shot combination thwarted by a double block by the Stockton defence in the 57th minute.
Next up was Winn, troubling the Stockton defence with runs, crosses and shots. Within seconds of me noting: “Winn having a good second half”, he put his team ahead in the 64th minute. He took a pass on the left wing, cut back infield and drove at the Stockton defence. Running at pace into the box, the No. 9 drove a shot past keeper Michael Arthur to make it 0-1.
Six minutes later a turn and shot by Winn left Arthur rooted to the spot, but the No. 9 just missed the target. At the other end Stockton were caught offside several times as they couldn’t quite get the timing of their attacks right.
Bishop Auckland should have doubled their lead in the 76th minute when Joseph Carter tripped Winn in the box only for Hoganson’s spot kick to be saved by Arthur.
The visitors sealed the win in the 84th minute when some slack defending by Stockton presented the ball to Kyle Patton who spotted substitute Andrew Johnson in space ahead of him, a quick ball gave Johnson a clear run at the Stockton goal and he made it 0-2 with an assured finish.
Stockton seemed to run out of attacking ideas as the second half progressed, despite a bright spell by them halfway through the second period. They had contributed to a highly entertaining game, but Bishop Auckland were worthy winners.
Stockton Town 0 Bishop Auckland 2 – Ebac Northern League Division One.
The main photo shows Bruce and Missie who had a “bird’s eye” view of the game, happily and snugly cocooned in the stand.
Mike Snowdon