Football
South Durham
Charity Bowl final
Barnard Castle FC.......... 3
Newton Aycliffe
Royal Telegraph............. 2
BARNEY were made to work hard to get their hands on the silverware, but ran out deserved victors despite a nervy last few minutes.
Despite the scoreline, this was a game of relatively few chances played on a firm surface at Heritage Park, home of Bishop Auckland FC.
It was clear from the off that the Newton Aycliffe team, new to the Crook and District League this season, were here to compete as tackles crunched in from the start.
It didn’t take Barney long to find their feet, however, and they took the lead through the ever-reliable Rob Dixon.
The goal came from Rob West’s long throw which saw Telegraph keeper Declan Middleton and one of his defenders both go for the ball. In the confusion, the ball dropped to an unmarked Dixon who volleyed home from about six yards.
The closest the Aycliffe team came to scoring in the first half was when West almost diverted a low cross into his own net, but Barney keeper Ollie Wilkinson reacted quickly to save smartly down to his right.
Barney then doubled their lead about five minutes before the interval when Will Hovington was allowed too much time on the edge of the area and he finished smartly, giving Middleton no chance.
As the second half progressed, Barney continued to hold sway without really creating any clear cut chances.
Then Royal Telegraph were allowed back into the game when a defensive lapse allowed Jack Oliver’s speculative effort from wide out on the right to some how find its way into the net.
The setback spurred Barney to greater efforts and the two-goal advantage was restored from a free kick.
West was pole-axed about 35 yards out from the Telegraph goal. He picked himself up and produced a perfectly timed run to toe-poke Josh Bousfield’s pinpoint accurate low inswinging cross into the back of the net.
That should have been that – but back came Telegraph once again.
Cutting in from the left, Zac Brannigan’s cross-cum-shot was deflected. This threw keeper Wilkinson off-balance and he couldn’t keep the ball out of the net.
Royal Telegraph threw everything they had at Barney in the closing minutes, but there were no more alarms as the clock ran down.
Barney now have the chance to round off the season by adding more silverware when they take on Stanhope Town SSC in the final of the Alan Britton Memorial Trophy.
The game takes place at Tow Law FC on Saturday, May 14. Kick-off is 2pm.
