Every goalkeeper wants to keep a clean sheet – and that’s what three Norton keepers claimed on Saturday as they won 2-0 at Jarrow Roofing.
The Teessiders had to chop and change because their first choice keeper, Chris Porter, pulled a muscle and had to come off after 10 minutes. Manager Conrad Hillerby didn’t have a keeper on the bench, so sub defender Dave Alderson went in goal, but five minutes before half time he injured his knee in a challenge for the ball.
That meant Hillerby had to put another outfield player, former Darlington YTS midfielder Paul Grainger, in between the posts for the rest of the game, and like his predecessors, wasn’t forced to pick the ball out of the back of his net.
Hillerby, who is wondering whether Norton have set some sort of unusual record, said: “I didn’t know what was going to happen next. When Paul went in goal, I crossed my fingers that he wouldn’t be injured as well. He did very well, as did the rest of the players in the team. It was utter madness at times, but the attitude of the players in the circumstances was spot on.”
The goals came at the other end of the field, with Nathan Mulligan scoring twice to leave Roofing fourth from bottom.
Jarrow Roofing manager Richie McLoughlin said: “One mistake and one bobble over the keeper cost us. We had lots of chances, played well, but had no luck.”
Sunderland RCA stay top of the league on goal difference after beating Billingham Synthonia 2-0 at Meadow Park.
They took the lead after 15 minutes when Andy Jennings picked up a long ball, ran through and beat Synners keeper Josh Moody. And they went further ahead when Lee Owens fired into the bottom corner of the net from a Jennings set up.
In the second half, Alex Benjamin missed some good chances to add to his tally of 20 league goals this season, while Ross Gardner nearly scored at the other end.
Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon said: “We should have had the game well won by half time, and should have scored four or five. I had to try and inject some momentum into the players for the second half.”
West Auckland needed a winner in the dying minutes at South Shields to stay level with the RCA.
They took the lead after 20 minutes with a header by former Shields player Darryl Hall, but Lee Bell levelled for Shields from a curling free kick awarded for handball outside the area by West keeper Kyle Barlow.
Johnny Wightman hooked the ball from 20 yards past Barlow to put Shields 2-1 up on 55 minutes , but West responded with an Alex Francis penalty, although Shields felt the offence was outside the box. West took the lead when Micky Rae finished off a good move, but with five minutes left Shields levelled through Sean Sweeney, who then missed a great chance for a winner. West broke up the other end, and Mattie Moffat dribbled through the defence and fired past the keeper for his 15th league goal of the season.
Meanwhile, key midfielder Francis has turned down an approach from Blyth, and has decided to sign a contract at West, who play Shields again on Tuesday night.
West Auckland manager Peter Dixon said: “We went through all of the emotions in that game. I thought we played badly and won, which I suppose is a good sign. It took a special goal from Mattie to win it.”
Whitley Bay are now third after winning their local derby 3-1 at Ashington. Paul Chow scored from a Chris Fawcett cross to put Whitley into the lead after 26 minutes, and at the start of the second half Brian Smith powerfully headed the second from a corner. Whitley quickly added a third, through Chow from a Robbie Dale pass.
Gareth Bainbridge pulled a goal back for Ashington late in the game. Chow has now scored 20 league goals this season.
Whitley Bay manager Ian Chandler said; “It was a very good win against a good Ashington side. Robbie Dale was unplayable and Paul Chow just keeps on scoring.”
A second half penalty at Billingham Town put Spennymoor into fourth place at Bedford Terrace.
The first half was fairly even, with respective keeper James Briggs and Craig Turns pulling off good saves, but Moors edged in front when Sonny Andrews scored from the spot after Gavin Cogdon was brought down. Andrews nearly got another, while Town forward David Onions had an effort cleared off the line.
Spennymoor assistant manager Perry Briggs said: “It was a great reaction to last week’s Vase exit by the players. We were much better when we went forward.”
Promoted Marske United had their best win of the season so far when they beat Newcastle Benfield 2-1 at Mount Pleasant, Benfield’s first defeat in six league games.
They had an excellent first half, taking the lead when Benn Thompson nodded down Derek Bradley’s cross for Danny Brunskill to nod in from a couple of yards, and then Tommy Marron set up Mark Taylor to fire the second. Marske then had strong claims for a penalty waved away.
Benfield piled on the pressure in the second half, and pulled a goal back on 55 minutes through Adam Scope, and after that Marske keeper Graeme Willey pulled off two good saves.
Marske manager Paul Burton said: “Everybody, all the way through the team, worked really hard. It was the best we’ve played this season, and in the first half I thought we ran them ragged.”
Newton Aycliffe overcame their recent setbacks with an excellent 1-1 draw at Bedlington.
Aycliffe were furious that the referee turned down a strong penalty claim for a foul on Josh Knox, and then another claim for handball was waved away. Ben Wood missed a chance to put Aycliffe into the lead and then Danny Mellanby hit the bar, but Bedlington took the lead when Anthony Shandran cut in from the right and fired his 20th league goal of the season.
But Aycliffe recovered, and levelled nine minutes from time from a penalty that was given for a foul on Knox, Wood converting.
Newton Aycliffe manager Allan Oliver said: “We were furious about the penalties not being awarded. The assistant actually put his flag across his chest for the first one, but the referee awarded a throw in instead. But I was very pleased with the reaction of the players to what happened in the days before, with Elliott Gardner leaving and Warren Byrne getting injured.”
Guisborough moved further away from relegation danger with a 2-1 away win at bottom club Stokesley. Home keeper Justin Hutchinson pulled off some good saves in the first half, but he had no chance with a low shot by Liam McPhillips just after the break. Luke Bythway ran through and scored the second, but Stokesley launched a late revival with a goal by Owen Dixon.
Guisborough manager Chris Hardy said: “We got three points which was our target before the game. But we didn’t get them as comfortably as I would have liked. Nevertheless a win against a battling Stokesley side.”
Bishop Auckland striker Andy Johnson is now the division’s top scorer after he scored one of the goals in their 3-0 home win over Tow Law.
Lawyers were the better side in the first half hour, but the game turned against them when Derek Waters was dismissed for two yellows. Bishops took the lead after 35 minutes when the Tow Law keeper failed to hold an Ian Dixon cross and Arran Wearmouth scored from the loose ball.
Johnson scored the second on the hour from a David Wells cross, and then Wells made it 3-0 after Chris Bell’s shot rebounded to him.
Tow Law manager Ian Davison said: “The referee changed the game when he sent off Derek Waters after 30 minutes. We were the best team in the first half by a mile. Playing with 10 men for that long, means the result speaks for itself.”
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