Recap
Crook Town: Makepeace, Mitton, Winstanley, Pilling, Webb, Walker, Hurworth, Parnaby, Johnson, Moody, Lamb
Bishop Auckland: Liversedge, Burlace, Risbrough, McGoldrick, Errington, Gott, Daley, Banks, Weirs, Johnson, Fairley
A lightning start by Bishops blew away Crook, at a storm threatened Millfield as goals by Weirs, Whitfield, Johnson (2), Gott and Milburn (2) secured a 1-7 win.
As the storm clouds gathered on a muggy evening a pair of early goals – both coming from breaks down the Crook left – settled any nerves on the back of the 5-0 FA Cup defeat at Whitby. Weirs opened his account for the season from close range, and then Whitfield scooped the ball in from a similar distance. Whitfield had started the game on the bench but a very early injury to Errington meant the forward was able to make an immediate impact.
Bishops were swarming all over the beleaguered black and ambers and on 20 minutes Whitfield tumbled over an outstretched leg of Pilling to win a penalty, which Gott put away with familiar ease. Louis Johnson got in on the act 5 minutes before the break when he beat Makepeace to the ball and chipped it into the unguarded net. James Fairley crashed a shot against the frame of the goal just before the referee put the hosts out of their misery for the time being, at least.
A concerning period of around 10 minutes delayed the start of the 2nd half as the referee waited for the thunder and lightning to pass over and once the game resumed Crook gave a much better account of themselves, pulling a goal back on 52 minutes through Steve Johnson. Bishops were looking sloppy as the rain intensified but a lack of real quality meant they were not punished further, however, Liversedge did deal with a couple of decent efforts on his goal.
On 82 minutes Johnson grabbed his second of the game as he finished off a one-on-one via the goalkeeper’s body. Ex Bishop Winstanley was thwarted by the legs of Liversedge before sub-Dale Milburn produced a stoppage time cameo with two strikes to the delight of the large two-blue following. The first appeared to wrongfoot Makepeace via a deflection but there was no such help required when he lashed in moments later.
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