Grimsby Borough 2, Newton Aycliffe 0
By Bob Wood
Newton Aycliffe suffered defeat at Grimsby Borough on Saturday.
Grimsby Borough, who spent a majority of the early part of the season propping up the table, had found form and were unbeaten in three games.
The first half featured incredibly little in the way of action, with both teams making neither keeper truly work.
The first noteworthy Aycliffe attack came when Liam Adamson found Cole Kiernan at close range, but his shot lacked strength and rolled wide.
Borough’s best chance was even less noteworthy than Aycliffe’s. Nathan Fisher accidently fired the ball to Tyler Edwards who found Andy Taylor who attempted to chip Fisher at close range, the ball went straight into Fisher’s palm and Taylor was flagged for offside before anyone could even touch the ball again.
Of both teams, Ethan Wood came closest to scoring in the first half, his run dummied three Borough players, but his shot lacked strength and went straight into the gloves of Borough’s Liam Higton.
Borough’s final attack of the half involved Edwards breaking away and passing to Lewis Collins, but his shot was so wide Fisher didn’t even have to move. Regardless it shown how swift Borough would be on the counterattack.
The first half ended with Kiernan getting on the edge of the box but firing the ball completely over the crossbar.
Going into half time, almost anyone would have predicted a 0-0 score line if the standard of finishing and chances continued.
The early part of the second half would feature much of the same. Kiernan would get Aycliffe’s first notable chance, but it once again was fired too low and went far too wide. While Borough lacked the majority of possession, when they did have the ball they seemed to outpace Aycliffe.
The first goal came from Jack Richardson. Adam Drury broke away in the midfield with pace and Richardson fired it home in the 62nd minute.
Truth be told, Aycliffe had shown nothing to suggest they’d find a way back into the match.
Very little happened in between the two goals, Aycliffe would get some corners, but nothing truly challenged Higton.
The second goal came when Richardson found substitute Caine Winfarrah, he hit an impressive curling shot that curled past Fisher to make it 2-0 on the 74th minute.
To cap off a lacklustre afternoon in Lincolnshire, Jack Naylor was sent off in the 90th minute for a reckless lunge.
Aycliffe continue a busy January with two home games – Liversedge will be the visitors to the SecuriCorp Stadium on Saturday, January 13, with Stocksbridge Park Steels following on Tuesday, January 16.
• The above picture, by Yvonne Wood, shows Marc Costello getting his head to the ball at Grimsby.
