BILLINGHAM TOWN 4-3WEST AUCKLAND TOWN

(Saturday 31 March, 3:00PM)

After an excellent display, a deserved victory was turned into a cruel defeat with a red card to goalkeeper Mark Bell turning the game on its head.  Bell saw red with 16 minutes remaining leaving defender Brian Fairhurst in goal as Billingham Town turned round a comfortable 3-1 lead into a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat for West.

The game had started with an attacking display from West Auckland that led to an early lead. Only 11 minutes had passed when the Billingham defence missed a through ball and after holding off strike partner Jonathan Milroy, Garry Barnes lashed the ball, from just inside the area, unstoppably into the top of the net.  Kevin Bromley then turned and fired wide as West looked in control. 

However Billingham are 3rd for a reason and they showed their skill going forward only to be denied by the superb Mark Bell.  Firstly keeping out a first time shot, he recovered to not only once but twice block the rebounds.  West switched off on 24 minutes allowing a quick free kick to be squared across the area for John McKie to control and fire into the back of the net from 10 yards.  In truth West had been the better team to this point and a deserved lead was restored within 2 minutes with a bullet header from Jamie Middleton arriving late to head home Garry Barnes’ pinpoint corner. 

The first blow of the day came in the 28th minute with influential captain Danny Key injuring his knee early on and eventually being replaced by debutant Ryan McKnight.  An indifferent spell towards the end of the half had hearts in mouths on a couple of occasions but West managed to hold out and lead at half time.  The first, after 38 minutes saw Mark Bell block a close range effort before Brian Fairhurst made a timely intervention to block a shot from Steven Huggins that would have almost certainly found the back of the net.

West Auckland extended their lead in the 56th minute through Karl Everitt who fired the ball low and hard past the keeper from 30 yards after a superb through ball by Ryan McKnight split the defence.  The lead though was nearly reduced by West themselves three minutes later, Chris Emms cross deflected off Jamie Middleton with Mark Bell having to make a smart save. Despite West looking comfortable, Billingham did have some excellent openings and their forward headed Steven Huggins’ cross wide when unmarked. Garry Barnes sparked a West revival first shooting wide before firing in a cross that Danny Richmond hooked narrowly wide.  Kevin Bromley’s excellent control saw him fashion and opening for Richmond on the edge of the area but the midfielder scuffed his shot the wrong side of the post. 

The second blow of the day came in the 73rd minute with midfielder Ian Maddison, who can also play in goal, coming off with a shin injury.  And as bad luck would have it, a minute later, Brian Fairhurst could not cut out a ball across the box and despite getting a touch on the ball; Mark Bell brought down the forward yards from goal and was promptly sent off.  Without a substitute keeper on the bench, Fairhurst took over in goal and his first task was too pick Steven Huggins’ penalty out of the net after being sent the wrong way. In the 78th minute, Billingham thought they had equalised with a close range header going a matter of inches wide.  Sub Dale Jardine nearly made the game safe for 10 men West when he saw his shot cleared off the line after rounding the keeper. 

With 9 minutes left, Nathan Jameson saw his shot take a deflection off Jamie Middleton resulting in the ball going through the legs of Fairhurst and into the net to level the scores.  And with 4 minutes left, Jameson broke the hearts of West forcing the ball home at the third time of asking after Fairhurst had superbly blocked the other two close range shots.  Demoralised West tried in vain to respond, Garry Barnes shooting wide as Billingham held onto the lead in a dramatic end to the game.

Team
    1 Mark Bell
    2 Ian Maddison
       (13 Dale Jardine 73 mins)
    3 Danny Key
       (15 Ryan McKnight 28 mins)
    4 Jamie Middleton
    5 Brian Fairhurst
    6 Leigh Grant
    7 Karl Everitt
    8 Danny Richmond
    9 Jonathan Milroy
       (12 Darren Kokes 80 mins)
   10 Garry Barnes
   11 Kevin Bromley