Bishop Auckland are looking for their fifth keeper inside a fortnight after Jake Johnson was carried off in the 1-0 home win over Sunderland RCa last night.

Johnson received treatment in the first half for a head injury in a challenge with RCA’s Dave Southern, but on the hour he was stretchered off with a knee injury following a challenge with Gavin Barton.

With no recognised keeper on the bench, sub outfield players Gareth Ayers went in goal, and he pulled off three good saves to make sure his side won the points.

Bishops’ first choice keeper, Peter Jeffries, picked up a bad hand injury last week at West Auckland, and he was replaced in that game by assistant manager Steve West.

Johnson’s injury wasn’t the only talking point in the game, as Bishops’ 18th minute winner had more than a touch of controversy about it.

The referee clearly blew his whistle before Jamie Harwood shot into the bottom corner of the net as the RCA defence stopped, but the referee allowed the goal, despite the protests from the RCA players.

Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon said: "The referee apologised to me at half time, and all of the players at full time, but that's no consolation. Our keeper didn't bother stopping the ball because he'd heard the whistle."

Marske United had a good 4-0 home win over Team Northumbria. Marske took the lead when TN defender Chris Lumsden put a Tommy Marron cross into his own net, then just after half time Danny Brunskill fired into the top corner.

Jordan Hugill scored the third from the spot after he was brought down, and Leon carling tapped in the fourth from a Karl Charlton corner.

Marske manager Ted Watts said: "I'm very pleased. We played a different formation, and the players took on board what I asked them to do."

 

TN manager Paul Johnson said: "I'm sounding like a broken record, the same things keep cropping up. Another game and another penalty conceded which is a gift to teams. We pretty much dominated the game from a possession and footballing perspective, and just need to be more ruthless and agressive in the final third. We have conceded too many soft goals this season . The main thing is getting our key players fit again, getting those back will have a big imoact on our season."

Billingham Synthonia lost 2-0 at home to Guisborough. Liam McPhillips gave Guisborough the lead from the spot after a foul by Danny McWilliams, then on the hour Austin Johnston finished off a good move for the second, with Synners’ Jordan Robinson dismissed for dissent.

 

Guisborough manager Chris Hardy said: "This was a game played by two evenly matched sides, I honestly thought who ever scored first would go onto win the game, we took our chances well which give us a good platform to go on and take all three points. Another very pleasing result and the exact reaction needed after the disappointment of Saturdays defeat against Morpeth."

EBAC Northern League Division One.

Bedlington v Newton Aycliffe postponed, Billingham Synthonia 0 Guisborough 2 (McPhillips, Johnston), Bishop Auckland 1 (Harwood) Sunderland RCA 0, Marske United 4 (Lumsden og, Brunskill, Hugill, Carling) Team Northumbria 0, Division Two.

Morpeth v Brandon, West Allotment v Horden both postponed Durham Challenge Cup first round Boldon CA v Crook Town postponed, re-arranged for October 31st