Translate

Monday 5 November 2012

Town suffer promotion set back as Washington leave with the points

NORTHALLERTON TOWN 3 WASHINGTON 4

TOWN's promotion hopes suffered an unexpected blow as Washington left the RGPS with a surprise three points on Saturday.

Manager Mark Fanning had announced the re-signing of Pete Bulmer from Norton two days earlier, and the winger, back for a third spell at Northallerton, was named in the starting XI at the expense of James Bowman, who dropped to the bench.

The big team news however, saw the first team debut of Academy goalkeeper Dean Hudson, while club captain Danny Shoulder returned to the bench following a groin injury.

Washington, who had lost 6-1 at Morpeth the previous week, started well and Hudson was immediately called into action to tip a shot from Chris Tate around the post.

Therefore, it was no real surprise when the visitors went in front in the 12th minute. Nick Evans sent Michael Latimer clear of the Town rearguard and he beat Hudson with a low shot from 15 yards.

Town responded with a header from leading scorer Adam Emson that went just the wrong side of the target, but they were back on level terms midway through the first half. The Washington defence was unable to deal with a corner from Gav Parkin and Wayne Gredziak arrived unmarked to head past goalkeeper Chris Bannon from close range.

But rather than lift Town to greater heights, the goal merely stirred Washington into action and they regained the lead less than two minutes later - Latimer sweeping home his second following a swift counter attack.

The open nature of the game continued as Fanning's side came close to drawing level again moments later when only a fine double save from Bannon kept out Marcus Laing and then Gredziak's follow up.

And that proved to be the turning point as Washington broke out to add a third, two minutes before the break. A strong run from Dan Young resulted in Tate firing past Hudson from 25 yards to make it 3-1.

But Town gave themselves something positive to build on for the second half when Emson's shot from 12 yards was deflected past Bannon to reduce the arrears to a single goal.

Indeed, Town began the second period on the attack and were close to an equaliser inside the opening minute when Emson seized on a poor clearance from Bannon but fired into the side netting.


However, it was Washington who restored their two goal cushion seconds later when Tate returned the favour for Young with a lovely through ball which the Washington midfielder finished well from close range.

Fanning had seen enough and sent on Chillingsworth for the ineffective Bulmer, and he made an immediate impression with a towering header from a Gredziak cross to make it 4-3 with twenty minutes still to play.

Town now sensed a comeback and threw everything forward in the closing stages. They looked to have been rewarded in stoppage time when Emson turned the ball home from 6 yards, only for an offside flag to cut short his celebration and Washington held on for the points.

TOWN - Hudson, Alderson, Banks, Hickman, Winter, Parkin, Laing, Butterworth, Emson, Gredziak, Bulmer. Subs - Chillingsworth, Shoulder, Dunn, Roberts, Bowman.

WASHINGTON - Bannon, Pattison, Latimer(R), Evans, Compson, Atkinson, Young, Wade, Latimer(M), Tate, Turner. Subs - Locke, Robinson, Hyde, Covell, Swann.

REFEREE: M. Hedley

ATTENDANCE: 102

2 comments:

  1. Not the best of run out for the keeper having 4 put passed him, hopefully this will improve with time, but do we have it when pushing for promotion? There have been a number of players sent from the Academy all average and below. Wack talked about the state of the pitch, I would think it only right to relocate the Academy to the rear field if only for the next 4 months so as not to dent our quest for first division football. Its time for everything to be taken into account, Washington were place 12th before they played us and we were and still are second, blips are for Tv screens not for a team that wants to go up!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Col would have won us this game and last weeks. Should have given him the same wonga as the other three strikers nad may be he would have sat on the bench ready to come on and win us games.

    ReplyDelete