WEST AUCKLAND 3-4 WASHINGTON
Saturday 5 January, 3:00PM, League
A late late goal settled a 7 goal thriller between two teams fighting to steer clear of the relegation zone. West though will look back at chances to wrap up the game before being punished.
The game started positively for West - an opening inside the first minute saw Bryan Stewart find room to shoot, albeit narrowly wide. The West Auckland lead was to follow in the 11th minute when Dale Jardine flicked the ball on for Danny Key to take down, advance on goal and drill the ball through the goalkeeper before celebrating with a two footed tackle on the corner flag.
This lead should have been doubled in the 14th minute when Neil Robinson did well to win a flick on where Dale Jardine went clear only to pull his shot over the keeper but wide of the target. And West were made to pay seconds later when Scott Nicholson tripped Stephen Burns and Glen Reay sent Alan Wilkinson the wrong way from the spot.
Neil Robinson tried to reestablish West's lead in the 27th minute, following a spell of Washington pressure, when spotting Ben Starford out of goal although the 25 yard effort was not able to get past the keeper. Washington responded themselves with a 20 yard shot that flashed past goal.
The second goal then arrived for West Auckland in the 37th minute with Bryan Stewart winning possession, playing the ball to Neil Robinson and his flighted cross was well finished by Dale Jardine, who did well to challenge the defender and flick the ball out of the reach of Starford.
It could have become a two goal half time cushion as Danny Richmond latched onto a half cleared ball with the resulting low shot well smothered by the keeper. Once again, Washington nearly made West pay when Stephen Burns found space and when picked out from a cross, he drove the ball towards the bottom corner only to be denied by a superb one handed stop by Alan Wilkinson.
11 minutes into the second half, West came so close to extending their lead. First Bryan Stewart spotted Stuart Owen in space and Ben Starford did well to make a good save. The loose ball was then hit towards the unguarded goal by Dale Jardine however a covering defender cleared the ball away from danger. Seconds later, Jardine went round the keeper but fired wide from an impossible angle.
The tide then turned in the space of 3 minutes. Washington levelled in the 66th minute with a flick on finished off by the man free at the back post. And two minutes later a cross was met by an onrushing and unmarked Washington player who headed home from 6 yards.
Shell shocked West responded with Neil Robinson's shot held and Dale Jardine pulling an effort wide. They then grabbed what looked to be the crucial goal with a break seeing Danny Richmond find Bryan Stewart and the winger cut back past his marker before lashing the ball in past Starford at his near post.
The tide had turned West's way with chances to grab a winner. Robinson scuffed an effort when well placed, Danny Richmond was unlucky trying to curl the ball over the keeper off his line however the shot did not have enough power, Stuart Owen's cross seemed certain to be turned in from close range by Jardine until a last ditch block took it wide then Robinson had another effort from the edge of the box which the keeper was equal to.
And as the game went into injury time, Washington made West pay when an unmarked Peter Watling, from an offside looking position, rounded Alan Wilkinson and steered the ball into the net.
1. Alan Wilkinson, 2. Michael Heckley (12. James Chapman 55 mins), 3. Kevin Bromley, 4. Scott Nicholson, 5. Brian Fairhurst, 6. Danny Key, 7. Bryan Stewart, 8. Danny Richmond , 9. Dale Jardine, 10. Neil Robinson, 11. Stuart Owen
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