Newton Aycliffe 2, Grimsby Borough 1
Match Report by Ryan Livingston
Newton Aycliffe chalked up their first win the Northern Premier League East at the weekend.
The Newtonians played their first home game in the new division against Grimsby Borough.
With Aycliffe propping up the table after two heavy away defeats this was their first chance to test themselves against NPL opponents on home soil.
Fortunately, Aycliffe had the best possible start when Liam Adamson got on the end of a cross to outsmart the Grimsby keeper and make it 1-0 early in the first half.
But the lead didn’t last, as Grimsby’s Jack Barlow fired a long range shot out of the box and straight into the top corner.
The rest of the first half remained an even contest with both sides going end to end.
The second half was equally end to end.vGrimsby had a few good chances, and their winger, Harvey Tomlinson was a particular menace to the home side. Sam Topliss also challenged Daniel Cameron with a long range effort.
With the games’ end to end nature however it was only natural Aycliffe would get a goal scoring chance, and they did.
Adamson’s high cross found Kyle Davis’ right foot, and Davis wasted no time in firing a cool low shot with such precision, the Grimsby keeper didn’t even have time to react to it.
It was a nervy end to the game for Aycliffe, with the post getting hit by Grimsby late on, and after sustained pressure, Grimsby were given a potential lifeline with a penalty.
But Daniel Cameron parried it away and saved the resulting corner to bag a massive three points for Aycliffe.
Brian Atkinson’s side will want the SecuriCorp Stadium to be a fortress this season, and with two more away games at Stockton and Grantham, Aycliffe will then have three successive home games, with Stocksbridge Park Steels on September 9, Ashington on September 12 and Ossett United on September 16.
The Stocksbridge game will be Aycliffe’s first ever fixture in the FA Trophy, promotion having moved them up from the FA Vase.
• The above picture, by Yvonne Wood, shows Liam Adamson beating the Grimsby Borough keeper to open the scoring.
