NORTHALLERTON TOWN 4 BRANDON UNITED 0
By Town Crier at the Calvert Stadium
NORTHALLERTON TOWN ended their poor recent run in fine style as an early brace from Mikey Stevens and further goals from Graham Caygill and Steve Banks gave them a comfortable victory over Brandon United on Saturday.
Without a win in three matches, and only one from their previous seven, Town was desperately in need of a good performance in front of their home fans ahead of a big week for the club, and thanks to a master class from York City loanee Chris Dickinson, they were able to do just that.
Although not on the score-sheet himself, Dickinson created all four goals to show exactly why he has an exciting future in the game. It is just a shame for Peter Mulcaster's side that it will lay away from the Calvert Stadium.
The first-year pro will return to York following Wednesday's game against Seaham Red Star, although Mulcaster is hoping to get the teenager back for another loan spell later in the season. And after this performance it is easy to see why.
"I am very pleased," said the Town boss at the whistle. "Especially the first half. It is always good to get a goal in 25 seconds and that set the tone for the game.
"I was very, very pleased with young Mikey (Stevens) who came in and Chris Dickinson. We won 4-0 and he made all 4 goals. Those two were very good but I thought Dale Elgie and Gavin (Parkin) played very well today. Moving Danny Shoulder back into the heart of the defence was another good thing for us."
But this was all about Dickinson, who was simply unstoppable. He created the opening goal for Stevens after just 25 seconds, possibly the quickest goal in the Northern League this season. Banks fed the York loanee down the right and when Brandon goalkeeper Carl Morris was unable to hold his shot, Stevens arrived at the far post for a simple tap-in.
It was a great start for an under-pressure Town and it led to a dominate display. Stevens, who was making only his second start for the first team in place of the suspended Jason Brazauskas, could not have dreamt of a better home debut.
Not content with one goal, the young winger scored again just 19 minutes later with an almost carbon copy strike. Dickinson this time drilled the ball across the six yard box and Stevens arrived at the far post to fire home again.
Any lingering nerves were now gone as Town began to knock the ball around with a renewed confidence. And they added a third, seven minutes before the break. Caygill, relishing his latest opportunity up front, released strike-partner Dickinson through the centre and after Morris had denied him again, Caygill followed up to slot home.
Ironically in a week when many Town fans had been calling for more local players to be included in the team, it was the goals of Academy graduates Stevens and Caygill that had sent Town in at half time with a comfortable advantage.
Inevitably Town's intensity dropped in the second period but they were still in complete control and added a fourth just before the hour. Banks, who of the current squad had played the most games without finding the target, finally broke his duck.
He started the move on the halfway line before playing a lovely 1-2 with Dickinson on the edge of the area. Suddenly the right back found himself one-on-one with Morris and he showed all the finishing instincts of a striker to place the ball into the corner of the net. 4-0 and 4 assists for the outstanding Dickinson.
Brandon, who were unfortunate to be on the wrong end of the Town backlash, kept their heads up and almost scored a consolation in the closing stages. Luke Wilson was denied by goalkeeper Alex Kell before Andrew Blackburn fired wide from close range after a right wing cross from substitute Ben Watson.
But this was to be Town's, and Dickinson's, day.
"I am a bit disappointed I could not get one myself," said the York loanee at the whistle. "But as long as the team won and have improved from last week then that is the best thing.
All the lads were pumped from the start. I got a new warm up from York for the lads and it seemed to work tremendously today.
"Being at Northallerton has improved me. My strength and all round game has improved a lot, I just need to get a couple more goals.
"But I'll take the 4 assists back to York and hopefully get a bit of praise. I'll save the goals for Wednesday night."
Meanwhile, Mulcaster was slightly disappointed his side were not more ruthless in the second half. He said: "We did take our foot off the pedal in the second half and sometimes I get quite annoyed.
No disrespect to whoever we are playing but you want to go and score more goals. We didn't and we were sloppy, and they had one or two good chances at the end."
Looking ahead to a big week where Town face fellow-promotion candidates Seaham and Jarrow Roofing, Mulcaster added: "We are now playing two of the teams who I think will be promoted at the end of the season but we can go into it with confidence.
Everybody was on a downer but we had a good training session in the week, we spoke about one or two things and I could feel there was a willingness in the lads today that had been missing in the last two games."
NORTHALLERTON TOWN - Kell, Banks, Porritt, Hickman, Shoulder, Parkin, Anderson, Elgie, Caygill, Dickinson, Stevens. Subs - Colman, Holliday, Kokes.
BRANDON UNITED - Morris, Guy, Clarey, Oakley, Wilson(A), Jackson, Harrison, Hamilton, Bischuk, Blackburn, Wilson(L). Subs - Spence, Watson, Soulsby, Soppitt, Peterkin.
REFEREE - K. Howe
ATTENDANCE: 83
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