Recap
Bishop Auckland: Liversedge, Rowbotham, Poole, Callaghan, Miller, Milburn, Mills, Lavery, Waters, Coleman, Rutherford
Billingham Town: Norton, Cann, Nelson, Jatta, Beeden, Wilson, Rennison, Daley, Earl, Boyle, Stephenson
A successive Saturday against bottom of the table opposition presented Bishops with another chance to ease the pressure in the fight to stay in Division One. Once again, the visitors showed no characteristics of a side rooted to the bottom of the table as they regularly peppered Nick Liversedge’s goal in the opening 15 minutes. One attack needed Callaghan to make an excellent last-ditch block on the goal line.
Bishops struggled for any fluency with Lavery operating in an unfamiliar midfield role and didn’t have any efforts of note until just after the half hour mark when Mills was presented with a great opportunity, but he was unable to prod the ball past the legs of Norton from 5 yards out and the ball was scrambled clear.
In the lead up to half time Liversedge made the pick of several important saves when he got down superbly to stop a close range ‘Town’ effort. Bishops could count themselves fortunate that they were going in level at half time with the chance to re-group and gain a foothold in the game. HT 0-0.
On 51 minutes the away side won a free kick on the edge of the box which Stephenson floated over the wall and beyond a full stretch Liversedge to give them a deserved lead. Parnaby replaced Waters but large spells of the second half passed mostly without incident as Bishops at least managed to stem the flow of chances but without applying any pressure at the opposite end.
As the game appeared to drift away from Bishops’ grasp, Mills whipped in a free kick from distance which forced Norton to scramble across his goal line and claw the ball out for a corner. The resultant corner was floated deep to the back post where Jamie Poole managed to guide the ball towards goal. A defender appeared to clear from underneath the cross bar, but frantic Bishop appeals were rewarded with a goal being awarded to the delight of the goalscorer and pocket of supporters who had remained in hope in the ‘tin shed’ terrace! Looking beyond the flatness of the performance, this was a point that could prove invaluable in the coming weeks. FT 1-1. ATT 250.
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