WEST AUCKLAND TOWN 5-0 HORDEN C.W.
(Tuesday 14 November, 7:30PM)West Auckland comfortably returned to winning ways with a 5-0 thrashing of strugglers Horden C.W.
Both sides looked dangerous early on – Horden were denied by good defending whilst Mattie Moffat was unlucky to see an effort flash across the face of goal. In the 7th minute Dale Jardine cut inside and fired a good low effort that was fumbled by Stuart Weldrake but he recovered the lose ball. Horden nearly took the lead with a deep cross finding Devine’s head and he was unlucky to see the header well held by Phil Owers, deputising for the injured Mark Bell. West, though, hit back and took a 20th minute lead through marksman Mattie Moffat who hooked his finish powerfully past Weldrake.
David Bayles, making his first starting appearance of the season, warmed the keeper’s hands in the 23rd minute with a good low shot to his left that was well held. Three minutes later Ian Maddison, could have added another when he put the ball wide from close range, after being put under pressure following a quick free kick. However West were not to be denied in the 27th minute when another good long range effort from Bayles could only be parried out by Weldrake and Mattie Moffat gladly accepted the loose ball to tuck away his second.
Moffat saw another shot saved in the 34th minute from which Ian Maddison somehow put the rebound into the side netting. West added another three minutes later when, after Moffat’s looping header came back off the bar, the ball hit Horden’s defender Jonathan Roberts a couple of yards out and went into the net. Minutes before the break, Dale Jardine won his tussle for possession, played the ball inside to Bayles and the player manager saw another shot well held by Weldrake.
In the 51st minute David Bayles’ shot was parried but Stuart Weldrake grabbed the loose ball just before Dale Jardine applied the finishing touch. Horden then saw a tame effort easily saved by Phil Owers, Jardine had his shot saved, whilst Danny Key fired wide. In the 74th minute Mattie Moffat held onto the ball before releasing Danny Key through on goal only for a last ditch tackle to deflect the midfielder’s shot away for a corner. From the corner, James Middleton dummied the ball and David Bayles fired the ball past Weldrake into the corner of the net for the fourth, from the edge of the area.
Jardine’s powerful run saw him break clear of his defender but he pulled the shot wide of goal. In the 79th minute, Bayles passed to Moffat and when he lobbed the ball over the last defender’s head, Brian Fairhurst ran onto the ball only to narrowly volley over. Bayles fired an effort wide before sub Kevin Bromley saw his headed goal ruled out for a push on his marker. Dale Jardine saw an effort clip the outside of the post in the 83rd minute before, a minute later, seeing Bromely’s cross half cleared by Paul O’Hagan towards him and he volleyed home the fifth. Fairhurst nearly added his name to the list of scorers in the last minute but he saw his shot, at the back post, saved by Weldrake.
Team
1 Phil Owers
2 Michael Heckley
3 Danny Key
(15. Dale Sheridan 84 mins)
4 Jamie Middleton
5 Brian Fairhurst
6 Leigh Grant
7 David Bayles
8 Danny Richmond
9 Mattie Moffat
(16. Darren Kokes 81 mins)
10 Ian Maddison
(13. Kevin Bromley 77 mins)
11 Dale Jardine
Sub Not Used
12. Gerard Wraith
14. Andy Cole