BISHOP AUCKLAND 1-4 WEST AUCKLAND

(Friday 2 February, 7:30)

A derby double was completed in emphatic style with the game being sewn up by half time as veteran Lee Ellison ran the show with 2 goals and 2 assists. As West raced into a 3 goal lead Bishop lost discipline and 2 red cards followed for dissent that ended the game as a contest.

Following a stormy first meeting between the pair it looked as if this game could follow suit early on when Gavin Parkin left Mark Bell injured in the West goal as they challenged for a ball that was hooked away off the line only for a handball to be awarded against the Bishop's forward. Bell was able to continue and watched Ritchie Storr fire well wide from long range. However West settled after this and in the 8th minute Lee Ellison hit a shot too high as he tried to find his range that would prove so deadly 5 minutes later. Garry Barnes played the ball through, Dale Jardine played the ball back to Lee Ellison on the edge of the area and he fired the ball past Chris Porter to give West the lead. Jamie Middleton tried to start another attack 2 minutes later but he was cynically brought down by a late and poor challenge by captain Ritchie Storr.

Bishops tried to hit back and in the 18th minute Lev Yalcin cut inside and saw his fierce shot parried by Mark Bell. Danny Richmond then inadvertently saw his header set Yalcin clear but he rushed his shot and fired into the side netting. West hit back with Dale Jardine seeing his lob held by the keeper before Michael Heckley headed over. However, Ellison struck again in the 32nd minute to increase the lead. Garry Barnes played the ball to him just outside the area and he curled his shot past a stranded Porter. The game was then put beyond Bishop's in the 37th minute when Lee Ellison's free kick was flicked into the net by Ian Maddison to give West a commanding 3 goal lead. Keeper Chris Porter was furious claiming that Maddison had handled the ball and was sent off for after a verbal attack on the official. As if the home players hadn't learnt 5 minutes later after Storr was tackled he also responded by shouting at the referee and was shown a straight red. Garry Barnes could have heaped more misery on them but his header was too soft to beat midfielder Paul Campbell who had gone in goal.

The second half was a non affair with Bishop's leaving only Jamie Clarke in West's end of the field whilst West knocked the ball around in front of the now 8 man defence. With the game already won perhaps complacency set in as Clarke raced through in the opening minute firing into the side netting. West could have stretched the lead further early in the half, Garry Barnes seeing a low shot saved, Danny Richmond's cross narrowly too far ahead of Dale Jardine who could not get a shot in on the stretch whilst Danny Key also fired over. Quick interchanges then led to Lee Ellison finding room on the edge of the box but this time his shot was off target. Dale Jardine was unfortunate not to extend the lead in the 61st minute when his surging run culminated in his shot rebounding off the outside of the post. Danny Key was then denied a shot on goal as Nicky Mohan managed to poke the ball away at the last, as the midfielder burst through the static defence. Bishop's 9 men were starting to tire and West Auckland were creating opportunities with ease. In the 63rd minute Jardine's cross found an unmarked Garry Barnes but from 6 yards headed straight at the substitute keeper, Justin Hutchinson, who came on at half time.

After this West simply played keep ball and there was little other action before the 83rd minute when Lee Ellison slipped the ball to Darren Kokes and he fired past the keeper for a fourth. Jamie Clarke then felt he should have won a penalty 5 minutes from the end after racing clear only for protests to be waved away as his shot under pressure was saved. However he was not to be denied 4 minutes later when Leigh Grant felled the striker and Clarke sent the ball past the stationary Mark Bell. There was still time for a free kick to be awarded 25 yards from goal and, as if anybody couldn't guess, Lee Ellison took charge looking for his hat trick. Unfortunately for him the free kick was just too high but he could still look back on an excellent performance.

Team
    1 Mark Bell
    2 Michael Heckley
    3 Danny Key
       (13. Karl Everitt 68 mins)
    4 Jamie Middleton
    5 Ian Maddison
    6 Leigh Grant
    7 Lee Ellison
    8 Danny Richmond
    9 Dale Jardine
   10 Garry Barnes
       (16. Darren Kokes 78 mins)
   11 Kevin Bromley
       (12. Jonathan Milroy 63 mins)

Subs Not Used
    14 Andy Cole
    15 Gerard Wraith