Bishop Auckland v Heaton Stannington

Recap

Dean Thexton Hattrick, goalkeeper howler and memorable consolation as Bishop Auckland defeated Heaton Stannington in a four-goal thriller. Thexton scored all three of Bishop’s goals as they went 11 points clear in Northern League Division One with a victory over Heaton Stannington.

Bishop opened the scoring in the 54th minute thanks to a Thexton header. Thanks to a misplaced pass from keeper Lewis Brass into Thextons path, the striker was able to double his side’s lead in the 70th minute. Thexton then completed his hat trick in the 82nd minute thanks to a long ball played from Dane Burlace, which the striker blasted past the Stannington keeper.

In the 89th minute, Jordan Lashley scored a consolation goal for the visitors, thanks to an assist from Leighton Hopper. Bishop came into Saturday’s fixture against eighth-place Heaton Stannington with confidence after their latest victory, beating West Auckland FC 2-1. The home side looked to extend their eight-point lead ahead of Second place Shildon AFC in the Northern League Division One.

Star man Louis Johnson also should be eager to continue the fine form he is currently in. Johnson collected January’s Player of the Month trophy for Bishop after a goal in the Auckland derby and a spectacular month overall. Bishop fans then look on today, hoping Johnson will continue this form into the tough February fixtures. 

The first big chance of the game fell the visitors way as Hopper and Sean Reid linked superbly with a one-two, Hopper then unleashed a right-footed strike, forcing Catterick to a save in the sixth minute of the game. Danni Lay lofted a delicious ball into the box, attacked by Aaron Brown heading the ball to the keeper’s left, Brass provided the strong stop in the 12th minute of the game. Ten minutes later Burlace whipped in a dangerous cross for Marcus Giles however the header was just wide of the goal. Following a clearance from Lay, Johnson squared it to JJ Bartliff, the winger cut back onto his right side, whipping a right-footed curling strike just a few yards wide of the post in the 24th minute.

Five minutes into the second half Bishop’s Jake Hackett played a lobbed ball into Thexton, however, the ball took a slight deflection off defender Mark Turnbull taking it just out of Thextons path, stopping what looked to be a sure goal. Johnson ran down the right side and then picked out Thexton with a cross, local hero Thexton headed the ball into the net in the 54th minute. The striker shortly after capitalised on a shocking misplaced pass by Brass, the ball went straight into the striker’s path, who then easily slotted the ball home in the 70th minute of the game. It was a long ball from Burlace which assisted Thexton for a spectacular hattrick in the 82nd minute. The striker received the long ball on his right and tucked the ball in the net with a right-footed shot on goal, finishing off a devastating counterattack from the home side.

Lashley ruined Bishop’s clean sheet as he scored the consolation goal for the visitors, with one minute before the full-time whistle. Hopper battled down the right side, with the ball scruffily falling into the path of Lashley who finished with a left-footed curling strike, hitting the post and going past a diving Ryan Catterick.

Match report by Tyler Eleanor