23 October 2014
Northern League Division 1 West
Allotment 2 Dunston UTS 1
Dunston are on their travels again this time to West
Allotment for a league game. Allotment have had a poor
start to the season and are currently in third bottom
after 12 games but have at times turned in good
performances especially in cup games. Dunston are
currently on an unbeaten run of 3 games 2 of which have
been away and although their last performance at Newton
Aycliffe required a superb strike from captain Michael
Dixon who scored the only goal of the game.
Dunston are currently 5th in the league but have games
in hand on all the teams above them although they will
have to continue their run of victories as the other top
teams are picking up victories as well. Dunston
will be checking the fitness of centre half David
Coulson who went off with a knee injury at Aycliffe but
his replacement recent new signing David Scorer took
over and continued the defensive rear guard which has
seen Dunston have 5 clean sheets.
Just after team had been named, Dunston had to change
their plans as Halliday twisted his ankle on a pothole
on the temporary warmup area allocated which had poor
light conditions, so Dan Craggs was included at left
back and Andy Clark added to the bench.
Dunston started well passing the ball well on a very
good pitch surface and got their first chance on 2
minutes as Craggs shot from 35 yards which went across
the Allotment goal. On 6 Harrison played a through ball
for Fenwick and Bulford but Fenwick was adjudged to have
fouled the defender.
A minute later Bulford played
a ball to the back post but Fenwick was unable to get a
shot on target. On 10, McDermott could not direct a
header on target from a Bulford cross. Allotment
gradually got into the game and on Connell took a shot
from Reed, 3 minutes later Nicky Kane played a low cross
along the Allotment 6 yard box but was cleared at the
back post. Allotments Reed had 2 shots on
20 & 23 but both were dealt with, on 26 Dunston almost
went ahead as Pendlebury tried to clear and it rebounded
off Dunn and fortunately wide of the Allotment goal. On
28 Fenwick shot over the bar before Reed again had a
free kick saved by Connell and then a Bell shot was
again saved by Connell. A Harrison free kick on 33, was
put in and Fenwick headed just over the bar.
Allotment had a spell of chances as first Reed on 34
shot over, McGlen on 40 put in across which went across
the goal, Chapman on 43 shot wide from 25 yards out
before Bulford had a shot which was deflected and was
cleared off the line by Henderson. Just before the half
time whistle Bulford played a cross into the far post
were Gregg McDermott was on hand to tap home for the
opening goal.
Half time score: 0-1
The game started slowly in the second half while teams
settled down again and Allotment got the first chance as
Bell ran in onto a through ball, however Connell deftly
managed to tip the ball around Bell and then clear on
53, but on 55, McGlen got on the end of a cross field
ball and shot past Connell for the equaliser. On 59, a
Harrison free kick went through to Fenwick at the back
post but his shot went over.
Four minutes later Bulford under challenge headed over a
Kane cross. On 64, Reed for Allotment put in ashot which
Scorer cleared for a corner, from the corner the ball
was pushed on target from a meld of players and Connell
was fortunate to collect. On 65 a Craggs cross was
cleared, before a Bell cross had to be cleared by
Gilhespy. On 67 Harrison put in a corner which went
right across the
Allotment 6 yard box, before Bulford shot from 18 yards
out after the ball had rebounded off a defender on the
line. Allotment replied with a free kick by Dummett on
75 which Reed headed on target only for Connell to
collect. On 76 Harrison sent in across which found Kane
at the back post, hisheader was returned across goal but
no Dunston player was able to connect. 4 minutes later
McGlen had a shot saved by Connell. On 84
Craggs had a shot from 30 yards saved by Beal. Disaster
on 84 minutes as Dummett crossed to the front post and
Reed ghosted in and glanced a shot past Connell for 2-1
to Allotment. Dunston tried to respond but
the attack was cleared by the Allotment defence. On 85
Burrell shot over the bar filled by a Wightman cross was
cleared.
On 90 minutes after a bad clash of heads
required the players to have treatment and then leave
the field of play for bad cuts. Dunston now desperate
for the equaliser and West Allotment wasting as much
time as possible a shot from Craggs on 93, and then
after Gilhespy broke forward and crossed for Dixon whose
header was blocked and rebounded to Wightman whose shot
from 2 yards was held by Beal.
In the 5th minute of added on
time Wightman had a header again saved by Beal. The game
ended without any success.
In game which started amicably the Referee caused
confusion and mayhem at times with her incorrect
decisions against both sides this caused issues with her
control of the game as it progressed but this should not
be construed as the reason for Dunstons defeat as they
suffered from several opportunities to score against a
willing opposition who battled to stay in the game. It
was a game of Dunston missed chances especially in the
second half to impose themselves on the opposition and
claim the game, in the end Allotment got the breaks and
made them pay dearly.
Full time score: West Allotment 2
Dunston 1
Dunston Man of the Match: No one person
shone out in a average team performance but new guy
David Scorer did well in his first full game.
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