Bishop Auckland v Chester-Le-Street

Recap

Bishop Auckland 4–0 Chester-Le-Street Town – DFA ‘Frank Pattison’ Challenge Cup R1

Bishops line up: Lincoln, May, Fielding, Haase, Eckley-Aldsworth, Risbrough, Howard, Briggs (Milburn), Giraud, Johnson, Tymon (Campbell)

Bishops used a break from league struggles to get back to winning ways with a routine passage into round two of the Durham Challenge Cup.

Adam Lincoln was given a first appearance of the season in goal, and he was rarely troubled in the opening stages.  Louis Johnson blasted in the first goal of the evening with just six minutes played, a strike from the left-hand side of the box into the far top corner.

Bishops’ as expected against Northern League Second Division opposition had a measure of control but did not create an avalanche of chances and late in the half Lincoln was called into action after several dangerous corners forced the young stopper into a couple of saves.

Ten minutes after the break Johnson grabbed his second of the night poking in a Tymon flick-on from a left-wing corner.  There was a flurry of good chances to increase the scoring with Johnson denied from close range by the visiting keeper, then Giraud firing wide after beating his last man.

Bishops’ second-half dominance bore fruit in the goals column in the final six minutes of the game, firstly Tymon grabbing a confidence-boosting finish from a low Risbrough cross and then left back Haase adding the finishing touch with his head at the far post from another teasing Johnson cross.

On what was a pleasing night at Heritage Park, a second-half injury to attacking midfielder Briggs is of concern ahead of Saturday’s visit to North Ferriby.

Report by Gavin Hadden