BEDLINGTON TERRIERS 0-6 WEST AUCKLAND TOWN
(Saturday 18 November, 3:00PM)West Auckland put six past ten men Bedlington, without reply, to move into the 3rd Round of the FA Vase.
The match started in ominous fashion for Bedlington with Danny Richmond blazing over early on. It took until the 12th minute for West Auckland to break through when Richmond's corner was flicked on by Ian Maddison to Mattie Moffat at the back post and he swept the ball home. Bedlington tried to hit back and 5 minutes later saw Eastway's 25 yard effort flash past the post. Despite this scare, West Auckland looked in control and nearly doubled the lead when Moffat headed David Bayles' 21st minute near post cross, narrowly over. Jamie Middleton then fired a 23rd minute long range effort wide as West looked for a crucial second goal to give them breathing space. Dale Jardine looked a threat on the left wing all afternoon and when a defender and the keeper could only half clear the ball to stop him scoring, he raced onto the rebound and fired an effort goal wards only for the keeper to make a recovering save.
Bedlington tried in vain to get level when McFarlane saw a looping effort go narrowly over Mark Bell's bar after challenging Jardine 25 yards from goal. However, when Mattie Moffat robbed Christopher Jewels of the ball just inside the Bedlington half in the 36th minute, he raced clear, stayed on his feet when the recovering Jewels tried to bring him down but was then hauled down by the keeper, with a clear penalty awarded and Bannon receiving a straight red card. The first action of the substitute keeper, Karl Dryden, brought controversy when he did well to save Moffat's penalty however the linesman adjudged he had strayed off his line and ordered a retake. From this Moffat smashed the penalty hard and low to the keeper's right. And 2 minutes before the break, Mattie Moffat completed his hat trick. After his first effort was blocked he picked up the ball, took it goal wards and, despite the sub keeper getting a hand to the ball as he took it across goal, he managed to retain possession and poke home the ball from a couple of yards. There was a scare into injury time though, when Gareth Bainbridge broke the offside trap of West Auckland, however Leigh Grant made a superb last ditch tackle s the forward was about to shoot.
The second half saw dominance from West Auckland as they looked to add to their tally whilst ten men Bedlington wanted to keep the score respectable. In the 53rd minute Ian Maddison should have punished the Bedlington defence when a ball was not cut out but, with him through on goal, pulled his shot wide. Kevin Bromley fired well over before Dale Jardine extended the lead when, after a period of good pressure on the edge of the area, Maddison played in the winger and he fired the ball past the keeper. Danny Key thought he would try his luck at adding his name to the score sheet. His first effort, in the 64th minute, flew wildly over, his second just three minutes later was a dipping effort that was narrowly over.
Bedlington had their best spell of possession around the half hour mark and Mark Bell was forced to make a save for the first time whilst a dangerous low cross cum shot from McFarlane went harmlessly wide. Danny Richmond saw a curling effort go over then, in the 77th minute, set sub Darren Kokes through on goal - the forward took it past the keeper but hurried his shot and it rolled across goal and inches wide. 7 minutes before the end West turned on the style. Andy Cole saw his 40 yard effort bounce unluckily off the top of the bar and when Kevin Bromley crossed the rebound, he found an onrushing and unmarked Danny Richmond who headed home. A minute later Ian Maddison saw his header creep in off the inside of the post to seal the fine victory.
Team
1 Mark Bell
2 Michael Heckley
3 Danny Key
4 Jamie Middleton
5 Brian Fairhurst
6 Leigh Grant
7 David Bayles
(12. Kevin Bromley 30 mins)
8 Danny Richmond
9 Mattie Moffat
(16. Darren Kokes 63 mins)
10 Ian Maddison
11 Dale Jardine
(14. Andy Cole 68 mins)
Subs Not Used
13 Gerard Wraith
15 Dale Sheridan