Bishop Auckland v Birtley Town

Recap

Redcar Athletic: Norton, O’Sullivan, Guru, Burgess, Mills, Kennedy, Ferguson, Walker, Round, Hopson, Boyes

Chris Hardy was able to name the same XI as last Saturday’s impressive win against Birtley Town for the visit of a Redcar Athletic side expected to pose a real threat on the back of their new management appointment and recent player recruitment from Marske United.

Bishops started the game off with real purpose and just ten minutes in Johnson outmuscled his man down the right to surge towards the by-line and his hard low cross was palmed out by Norton for Howard to pick his spot from 10 yards out.  The visitors looked like rabbits caught in a headlight and Johnson bulldozed his way past a couple of defenders to open up space for himself to lash a shot through Norton from a tight angle with just 20 minutes played.

It got worse for Redcar three minutes later when Norton inexplicably passed the ball straight to Johnson and the livewire forward set up Thexton to steer a lovely finish into the corner of the net.  Bishops were sensing blood and the visitors were on the ropes.

After Hackett’s loose ball was intercepted former ‘two blue’ midfielder Bradley Mills produced a smart finish to give Redcar something to build on going into the second half.

A tactical reshuffle from Carl Jarrett seemed to work in Redcar’s favour and they looked the better side for large spells after the break.  Bishops’ goal lived a charmed life as Holdsworth was thwarted by Catterick when clean through, Boyes had a shot smothered and then caused panic when he beat Catterick but his follow-up was headed onto the bar by a Bishops’ defender.

A nervous last ten minutes was set up when Boyes finally got on the scoresheet, the ex-Marske hitman cooly collecting a pass and prodding home.  However just as five additional minutes were signalled Bishops broke away and substitute Cooke found Johnson in space to strike across Norton and win the game, to an outpouring of relief in the stands.

Match report by Gavin Hadden