WEST AUCKLAND 1-3 SEAHAM RED STAR
Saturday 22 March, 3:00PM, LeagueIt was 'snow' joke for West Auckland on Saturday, pardon the pun, after a strange set of weather conditions coincided with a strange game in which West Auckland missed several good openings, were denied by the Seaham keeper on numerous occasions before they went behind for the first time due to a debatable line call.
The game began in a blizzard which caused hassle for both sides with slippery conditions making it difficult to hold onto the ball. There were many chances during the opening period because of this. After only 3 minutes, Neil Robinson won back possession with Dale Jardine finding space but his shot was held. At the other end, marksman Warren Byrne fired over.
Seaham keeper Keith Finch was to have a busy afternoon and he made the first of several good stops with Paul Freary creating a shooting chance inside the area before at full stretch the keeper did well to make the save. Seaham responded with a shot across goal before, in only the 9th minute of a frantic opening, Robinson set up Jardine who, one on one with Finch, blazed his shot just over the bar.
As the weather improved so the game became tighter. It took until the 19th minute for the next clear opening when Ian Maddison met a corner only to see it cleared off the line. A 25th minute corner nearly created the opener with the ball ricocheting off Paul Freary and Seaham's Andrew Lumsdon with West unable to force in.
Thomas Louden had 2 good openings shortly after this as West looked more likely to take the lead. In the 29th minute he found space but saw his shot saved and 2 minutes later won a challenge to again leave him facing the keeper - this time his fizzed shot was an inch over the crossbar.
A minute later Neil Robinson saw an effort well tipped over and frustrations were to further grow for West in the 38th minute with Bryan Stewart's sliding Dale Jardine clear only for Finch to again make a good block. Warren Byrne had a rare attack for Seaham with his shot saved before the breakthrough finally came in the 41st minute.
And it was West who took first blood with Paul Freary riding a challenge and despite being blocked the ball kindly ran to Dale Jardine who fired home for his 12th of the campaign and 7 in the last 7.
It took under 60 seconds for the second goal of the game to arrive as Seaham hit immediately back. Warren Byrne did well to hold off Brian Fairhurst before slotting home off the inside of the post.
West nearly regained the lead in the final minute of the half when a stinging volley by Neil Robinson had to be tipped over by Finch. The half ended with a very light snow shower - during half time this became very heavy and when the players emerged after half time the green grass was no longer with a white covering forcing the use of the orange ball.
As with the first half there were several chances whilst there was a layer of snow on the pitch. Seaham had a shot saved before Dale Jardine's effort saw Keith Finch make a half save with a covering defender getting back to hook the ball to safety from off the line.
Ian Watson hit wide, Bryan Stewart saw a shot deflected wide and then Neil Robinson had a shot held after a good run as both sides looked for their second. Seaham perhaps should have taken the lead in the 60th minute when Watson was left unmarked just 10 yards from goal but he got his header all wrong and it sailed wide.
Three minutes later the best move of the game saw Robinson play in Freary, his ball was toe poked past the keeper by Jardine and Stewart was denied a certain goal by a last ditch block by John Rattle from 3 yards out.
The next West move saw Freary's cross chested down by Thomas Louden into the path of Dale Jardine at the forward's shot on the stretch was superbly tipped over by Finch who yet again had denied West.
Seaham showed they were still in with a real chance of pinching the points and in the 72nd minute a shot was well blocked by the legs of Mark Bell who then pounced on the loose ball to deny a chance at the rebound.
Thomas Louden then sliced a shot wide when well placed and West were nearly punished when a ball was fired across goal and Brian Fairhurst had to clear from on the line.
However the controversial breakthrough came in the 78th minute when the ball appeared to just go over the touchline but when Seaham kept playing the ball was crossed to Craig Price and he fired ruthlessly into the corner of the net.
West went pushing forward - Danny Richmond's shot saved although Seaham were dangerous going forward and on the counter attack 2 minutes from the end Warren Byrne had time and space to round the West keeper and slide in number 3 to kill the game. There was still time for Robinson to be denied for West as they were left to look back on a game they could have easily won but left with nothing.
1. Mark Bell, 2. Michael Heckley, 3. Kevin Bromley, 4. Ian Maddison (15. Nigel Bolton), 5. Brian Fairhurst, 6. Danny Richmond, 7. Thomas Louden, 8. Bryan Stewart, 9. Dale Jardine, 10. Neil Robinson, 11. Paul Freary.
Subs Not Used: Andrew Blackburn, Richard Smith