Translate

Tuesday 9 April 2013

Terrific Town produce five-star display to see off Chester

CHESTER-LE-STREET 1 NORTHALLERTON TOWN 5

TOWN produced one of their best performances of the season to power to another thrilling away victory at Moor Park on Monday evening.

As we approach the business end of the season, Peter Mulcaster's side have hit top form at just the right time to move to within four points of the top 4 and possible promotion.

After falling behind to a shock goal from Chester's Michael Hepplewhite, Town hit back with efforts from Mickey Dunwell, Grant Hickman, Marcus Laing, Adam Emson and Andrew Porritt to seal a 4th win in 5 matches.

"It was a great team performance," said a beaming Mulcaster at the whistle. "There were superb contributions from Col Anderson, Porritt and Danny Shoulder, although every single one of them played their part. I could not be more delighted."

With eight players missing for various reasons, Town were once again down to the bare-bones, although they were at least able to name two substitutes on this occasion.

Mulcaster was back in the dug-out after missing the defeat at Ryhope CW on Saturday, and he was able to welcome back Hickman, James Bowman and Adam Emson, while Anderson had made his peace with the club after the weekend shenanigans to take his place on the right wing.

Town were on the front-foot from the start but just as at Birtley a week earlier, they were unable to turn their superiority into goals. Emson fired over the top in the second minute, while Dunwell shot just wide on the turn twelve minutes later.

But it was the hosts who were gifted a 26th minute lead. A rare mistake from James Briggs saw the ball fall to Hepplewhite 30 yards out and he hit a superb first-time chip over the stranded Town goalkeeper into the net, much to the disbelief of everyone inside the ground.

It was beginning to look like one of those days for Town as every chance they created came back off a Chester defender. Anderson was causing havoc down the right and was denied by home goalkeeper Matthew Crook after half an hour, while further efforts from Emson, Bowman and Gav Parkin were either blocked or deflected away.

But Town were deservedly level five minutes before the break. Anderson turned full-back David Short inside-out and his super cross was headed home at the near post by Dunwell.

Emson and Steve Butterworth then came close to giving Town the lead in the final seconds of the half but once again Mulcaster's side really turned on the style after the break.

Hickman put them in front eight minutes after the restart, rising above the Chester defence to power home a header from a Parkin corner, and it was 3-1 five minutes later with a well crafted goal. Butterworth spread the ball wide to Hickman out on the right and his drilled centre was headed home by Laing - his third goal of the season.

Anderson should then have got the goal he deserved when Emson's left-wing cross fell to him in front of goal, but he was unable to re-adjust his feet quickly enough and Chester scrambled the ball clear.

Butterworth was then inches away from turning home a flick from Dunwell, while Emson saw an effort cleared off the line by Matthew Morris.

The exertions of the previous few days looked to have taken its toll as Town appeared to tire towards the end, but they regrouped to wrap up an impressive night's work with two further goals in the final two minutes.

Inevitably it was Emson who grabbed the fourth - his 34th goal of the season - flicking home a cross by Pottitt with his shoulder, while the two combined again for Porritt to fire home his first goal for the club from Emson's left-wing cross in stoppage time.

Mulcaster hopes to have Ian Smurthwaite, Carl Chillingsworth and Steve Banks back in the squad for Wednesday's trip to bottom-side Horden where another win will bring promotion that little bit closer.

CHESTER-LE-STREET - Crook, Smith (S), Short, Davison, Morris, Hamblin, Reeves, Baxter, Hepplewhite, Lee, Richardson. Subs - Alderson, Smith (A), Saunders, Surrey, Grover.

TOWN - Briggs, Hickman, Bowman, Shoulder, Porritt, Parkin, Anderson, Laing, Dunwell, Emson, Butterworth. Subs - Winter, Alderson.

REFEREE - T. Fletcher.

ATTENDANCE: 55

9 comments:

  1. Why are we playing players who let us down at the weekend ?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your still after the 4th spot by the sounds of it. Promotion by the back door at the expense of a good side.

    ReplyDelete
  3. There are 7-8 good sides in the league this year and unfortunately if one of them does not have the correct facilities in place they will not be allowed promotion. Therefore I would argue that 4th place would not be going up 'by the back door' it would simply be the third best team with the correct facilities...

    ReplyDelete
  4. realpolitic to anon about playing those who let us down an in form colin is a great asset if we are to challenge for promotion. that said us supporters withheld his chant

    ReplyDelete
  5. As far as I am aware the player has made his peace with the club and the whole incident should now be forgotten. Passions were high at the weekend, obviously, but he showed his commitment to cause last night and that is what we should focus on now.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hope Northallerton don't pick up the nickname of the back door boys, doesn't sound right to me!

    ReplyDelete
  7. How long are you going to withhold his chant ? Why not think of a new one like Hes here, hes there, hes every fucking where but the pitch but the pitch.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was thinking that for the Horden game, in light of the reverse fixture at our place, the chant, aimed at their left back, should be, to the tune of Love Will Tear Us Apart, Col, Col will tear you apart, again.

    ReplyDelete
  9. He sure will if he gets there !

    ReplyDelete