Ossett Utd 3, Newton Aycliffe 4
By Ryan Livingston
Newton Aycliffe came out victorious in a seven-goal thriller in Ossett on Saturday.
Aycliffe were 3-0 up at half time, but had managed to concede three times before the 60th minute to make it 3-3.
Aycliffe were resilient, however, and were eventual victors in this gripping contest.
Brian Atkinson’s side cruised to a 3-0 lead within 29 minutes, the first goal came from Liam Jarvie after Ethan Wood effortlessly picked him out and passed the ball to him through three Ossett players to let Jarvie easily score from close range.
Almost every goal scored by Aycliffe exhibits impressive teamwork, and the second of the day was another goal in that category.
Wayne Whitfield fired a cross into the box that found the head of Kyle Davis. Davis easily headed the ball home to make it 2-0 in just the 18th minute.
While Nathan Fisher was called to action at times, Ossett didn’t offer much in the first half, in spite of them having a decent amount of possession.
In the 30th minute, it seemed as though Aycliffe had capped off a spectacular away performance when Ethan Wood once again got himself into a great position and hit the perfect pass to Jack Clarkson allowing him to coolly send the ball over Ossett’s Matt Bancroft to make it 3-0.
With the score 3-0 at half time and with Ossett showing little in the way of attacking prowess, one could have been forgiven for assuming 3-0 would be the final score.
But football is very often a game of two halves, and in the 48th minute Aycliffe conceded when Clarkson couldn’t stop Alex Peterson from heading the ball in at close range.
The Ossett onslaught would continue when Kelan Swales fired a low shot from range that Fisher couldn’t stop to make it 2-3 in the 53 minute.
Aycliffe were now under the cosh and Ossett would make it 3-3 when a corner whipped in the box saw the ball go straight to the foot of substitute Shane Killock who tapped it in the 59th minute.
Both teams had further chances, Fisher making a brilliant save just after the third goal, and Davis would have had a brace had Bancroft not made a quick one handed save.
After some great attacking play It looked as though Aycliffe had made it 4-3 when Jarvie tapped in at close range, but he was quickly judged offside.
In an ironic sense, considering Aycliffe’s three prior goals were all team efforts, Wayne Whitfield went on an impressive run past three Ossett defenders on the edge of the box, and calmly fired a low shot that rolled past five Ossett players and the keeper to make it 4-3 in the 82nd minute with a wonderful solo goal that shown tremendous skill.
Despite Ossett pressure late in the game, the home side troubled Fisher very little and Aycliffe held on for a brilliant victory away from home.
Aycliffe continue on their travels this weekend with a trip to Winterton in Lincolnshire.
That game is followed by a visit to Whickham on Tuesday, February 13, for the Frank Pattison Durham Challenge Cup Semi Final.
- The above picture, by Yvonne Wood, shows Kyle Davis celebrating his goal at Ossett.
