NEWCASTLE BLUE STAR 0-3 WEST AUCKLAND TOWN
(Saturday 28 April, 3:00PM)West Auckland finished the season with an impressive 3-0 win over soon-to-be Unibond side Newcastle Blue Star. Other results also meant West finished in 6th place.
Blue Star did press early on and Mark Bell recovered to stop the loose ball after fumbling an early free kick. He was though to have another solid game after this and was duly rewarded with his 13th clean sheet of an excellent season. It was West though who had the majority of possession and chances after this.
In the 10th minute Jonathan Milroy latched on to a headed through ball by Jamie Middleton but was unfortunate to see his lob go just the wrong side of goal. The lead was too follow in the 16th minute when Kevin Bromley capitalised on a defensive error to fire the ball early off the outside of his left foot, curling it round the keeper and into the corner of the net. Danny Key, on his return to the side, could have added a second in the 28th minute after Milroy's good work won the ball back but the midfielder could not keep his shot down.
Blue Star were always going to be dangerous on the quick counter attack - thoughts go back to the last time the sides met with them snatching a late winner despite many West chances. This time though a quick break, 10 minutes before half time, saw Mark Bell hold onto the final shot as the lead remained in tact. In fact it could have been extended before the break, Darren Kokes slid in Kevin Bromley and the covering defender did well to come across and block his shot, deflecting it away for a corner. Blue Star did give West a final scare of the half when Leigh Grant could only flick on a header as far as a Blue Star forward at the back post but his shot came off Bromley and over the bar.
West Auckland came out looking to make the game safe in the final 45 minutes of their season. Kevin Bromley tried his best to set up Darren Kokes in only the 3rd minute of the half, his low cross being cleared by the defender just in time. Manger David Bayles lost possession in the 52nd minute resulting in another chance for Blue Star when their quick movement saw a midfielder find space but Mark Bell was equal to the shot.
The influential Kevin Bromley then helped create a second when his cross found Jonathan Milroy at the back post, and when the forward was brought down a penalty duly awarded. From the spot, Brian Fairhurst sent the keeper the wrong way to double the lead. Jamie Middleton nearly scored the goal of the season with an opportunistic shot from the half way line after the keeper's poor clearance from the corner. With the keeper scrambling back to goal the ball was unfortunately just off target.
Blue Star, who were playing their last game in the Northern League before being promoted to the Unibond, provided little threat and the game was already over as a contest when West added a deserved third a couple of minutes from the end. Garry Barnes tried his luck with a shot from 25 yards but when this was deflected, it fell into the path of Jamie Middleton, who from 12 yards turned his defender and swept the ball into the net. West nearly extended the lead in injury time with Garry Barnes heading just over as the season finished on a high.
Team
1 Mark Bell
2 Michael Heckley
3 Danny Key
4 Jamie Middleton
5 Brian Fairhurst
6 Leigh Grant
7 Darren Kokes
(12. Garry Barnes 79 mins)
8 David Bayles
9 Jonathan Milroy
10 Karl Everitt
11 Kevin Bromley
Sub Not Used
Dale Jardine
Lee Ellison
Phil Owers