By Noel Russell at The Brewery Field
Town concluded their pre-season campaign with what turned out to be difficult night at FA Vase winners Spennymoor on Tuesday.
It was “one of those
days” for Town as the illustrious hosts ran rampant in the first half. The
Brewery Field pitch, with the addition of a slope, was like a bowling green and
perfect for football. Meanwhile, Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg was in
the middle.
The first of seven first half goals for Spennymoor came in
the 5th minute when a corner from the right by Lee Kerr found Leon
Ryan in acres of space to head past Town keeper Dean Hudson. Spennymoor nearly
made it two from another corner in the 7th minute, but Hudson turned
the ball away when under pressure.
Town forward Jamie Clarke was fouled midway in his own half
on 11 minutes, but Clattenburg kept his cards in his pocket. Spennymoor did made it
two moments later after good work from Kerr found Liam Henderson who headed
across goal to make it 2-0.
Three minutes later, Mark Davidson headed straight at Hudson
from another corner before the same player was put clean through on 20 minutes
but the Town ‘keeper came out well to save at his feet.
A good cross from the left by Chris Mason then found
Davidson again whose scuffed shot somehow beat Hudson and nestled in the back
of the net to make it 3-0. In the 29th minute Henderson got his
second and Spennymoor’s fourth as he was put through down the right and fired past
Hudson.
Nine minutes later, Town failed to clear and the ball fell to
Kerr who shot straight at Hudson. Mason then created a great chance for
himself, but his shot was scrambled away for a corner.
With the pressure mounting, Spennymoor scored three goals in
as many minutes to make it 7-0 at half-time. A great cross from Chay Liddle
found Bott who volleyed past Hudson four minutes before the half-time
whistle.
A looping header from Davidson then made it six and a
further goal from Davidson, when he is found in acres of space to complete his
hat-trick, concluded the first half scoring.
As the players came off, Mr Clattenburg had a look of
disbelief and acting Town manager Martin Mulcaster looked in total shock at
what he had just witnessed. Spennymoor beat Esh Winning
12-0 earlier in pre-season and it looked like that score could be beaten if the
second half carried on in the manner of the first.
Spennymoor started the second period as they had the first with
shots from Kerr and Liddle forcing Hudson into good saves. Town’s defence then went
to sleep as Spenny went 8-0 up 12 minutes into the second half when Chris
Lawther ran up the right wing and crossed for Davidson to lash home his fourth
goal of the evening.
The introduction of Town’s super starlet Graham Caygill
changed the game dramatically. Town’s first shot of the game came in the 72nd
minute after good work from Steve Banks down the right set up Clarke whose shot
flashed just the wrong side of the right hand post.
Five minutes later and “The Double C” combination was in
full flow – Clarke held up the ball well to set up Caygill who shot low the
past the keeper to send the travelling Town fans wild. Three minutes from time,
Clarke and Caygill combined again – Clarke finding Caygill in space and the
young striker calmly lobbed the keeper to mean Town had won the second half 2-1.
Mulcaster’s men now begin the league season on Saturday away
against South Shields, which is to be played at Peterlee Newtown.
TOWN – Hudson, Banks,
Newby, Hickman, Johnson, Brazauskas, Parkin, Kokes, Porritt, Clarke, McLachlan.
Subs – Caygill, Toman, Colman.
REFEREE: Mr Mark
Clattenburg
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