Whickham 1

Northallerton Town 2

NORTHALLERTON Town got the new year off to the best possible start and kept their promotion ambitions on track with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at mid-table Whickham on Monday.

Town, who are sponsored by Wakes Service Centre, Northallerton, are now unbeaten in their last 12 league and cup games and have taken 28 points out of a possible 30 from their last ten league games.

But, after dominating the first half, they were made to hang on in the second against a determined Whickham side who could consider themselves a little unlucky not to have come out of the game with at least a point.

With the advantage of the wind and pronounced slope on the Glebe pitch, Town had the better of the early exchanges.

They created the first real chance in the seventh minute when Anthony Roberts made a good run through the inside right channel, but his attempted square ball to the unmarked David Onions was just too close to home keeper David Bebbington.

Town continued to press and they went close in the 22nd minute through Craig Winter, whose close-range header following a Dominic Gamble cross from the left went inches wide of the far post.

But constant pressure brought its reward a minute later as Town took the lead with a great strike from Roberts, who volleyed home from 15 yards following a perfect left-wing cross from Gamble.

The same two players combined again as Northallerton increased their lead two minutes before the break. Gamble again crossed from the left for the unmarked Roberts to fire home from the edge of the six-yard box.

With the wind and the slope in their favour, Whickham completely turned the game in the second half. But Town, with keeper Sam Dobbs and defenders Ian Williams, Stuart Jackson, Andy Swalwell, Craig Winter and Micky Waller all in commanding form, defended resolutely.

Dobbs made some excellent saves to deny James Renshaw and Ian Robson, but he was given no chance and was perhaps a little unfortunate when Whickham reduced the deficit in the 66th minute.

Robson forced the ball home from close range following a goalmouth scramble after Dobbs had done well to save two close-range efforts from Peter Craddock and Nick Raynor.

Whickham threw everything at Town in a frantic last ten minutes and Dobbs made a great, point-blank save to keep out a close-range drive from Paul Cavanagh before the same player hit the foot of the far post with an angled drive from the left in the last minute.

Town are away at Evenwood Town tomorrow and their next home game is on Saturday, January 15 when South Shields are the visitors. Both games kick off at 3pm.