Bishop Auckland v Nantwich Town

Recap

Bishops line up: Catterick, Eckley-Aldsworth, Robertson, Brown (Walker), Fielding, Bartliff, Gell (Holdsworth), Briggs, Hodgson (Tymon), Greaves, Johnson

Bishops’ return to FA Trophy action was a brief one as NPL Noth West Division outfit Nantwich Town progressed in another tight affair.

The two blues made a promising start, almost leading inside the opening minutes when a fierce Johnson shot was pushed wide by Garratt in the visitors’ goal.  On thirteen minutes a Johnson pass was intercepted in the Nantwich half which led to a sweeping move and a ball across the Bishop backline that found Pratt who controlled to fire in off the far post.

The scores were levelled up just inside the half-hour mark when a corner was not cleared and after Gell had a shot blocked Greaves chipped the loose ball towards goal and just over a defender on the line to score his first goal for the club.

Bishops were looking the better side, putting some good moves together but there were still a couple of scares at the back as Nantwich looked dangerous on the break.  Bartliff and Johnson combined well on 35 minutes but the former’s shot was well saved.

Catterick was called into action early in the second half, blocking an effort from close range at his near post, but he could do nothing about Saunders’s goal on 59 minutes when the forward was in acres of space to guide in a cross from the right.

As Bishops tried to salvage the tie Tymon was brought on to operate alongside Greaves and the burly striker almost equalised when his header was knocked off the line by a defender with Garratt beaten.  The same player then had arguably the best chance in the dying minutes and after controlling the ball on his chest skewed his shot horribly wide.

At times this was an improved performance but defensive mistakes were to cost Bishops again.  Bishops are back at home next Saturday as bottom of the table Bridlington Town are the visitors.

Match report by Gavin Hadden.