Match Report: 12/04/08
Billingham Synthonia 1, Northallerton Town 0
Arngrove Northern League Division 1
Synthonia welcomed relagation threatened Northallerton Town to The PTS Stadium. Michael Jameson continued to fill in at left back with Nick Scaife returning to the midfield.
Northallerton made the better start and came close after 6 minutes when a Robert Bettson corner from the right was headed on to the top of the bar from Stuart Dixon. Then after 10 minutes Martin Barwick made a good run down the left flank as he beat the offside trap, only to see Synners keeper John Jackson stand tall to make the block.
Synthonia steadily got going, and after 12 minutes a long thow out by Jackson found James Magowan. He picked out Neil Campbell who fed in Colin Iley, but Anthony Green made a timely interception to stop the striker having a shot at goal.
In the 14th minute, Synthonia's Michael Cater sent in a cross from the right, but saw Town keeper Kevin Wolfe do well to catch under pressure from Magowan.
After 19 minutes the visitors had an excellent opportunity to open the scoring. A cross from the left found Daniel Earl, whose close range header goalwards brought a point blank save out of Jackson.
Jameson found space to run forward in the 21st minute and tested Wolfe with a long range low drive that the keeper pushed round the post for a corner.
Synners took the lead in the 26th minute. A Nick Scaife corner from the left was sent in to Cater at the back post. His header back across goal was headed into the net by COLIN ILEY from close range.
Northallerton had a couple of chances to level before the break. Firstly after 30 minutes Anthony Hume crossed from the left with Paul Atkinson doing well to head out for a corner. Then after 39 minutes, Earl picked up a loose ball to fire in a shot on goal. Jackson doing well to make the save.
Half-time: Synners 1, Northallerton 0
Town created two half chances early in the second period. After 54 minutes Jameson had to be alert to block a shot. Then from the resulting corner Jameson was on hand again to make the clearence. Synners then broke with speed as Iley found Atkinson overlapping down the right. His cross picked out Campbell, but the shot was straight at the keeper.
After 59 minutes Northallerton's Earl did well to create some space and laid the ball to Stuart Dixon, but his low drive went wide of the upright.
Iley won a free-kick in a good position on the hour, but Jameson's effort went straight at the Northallerton wall.
The visitors pressed in search of a valuable equaliser. After 78 minutes an inswinging corner from the left had to be cleared off the line by Iley. Then a minute later, with men over, Hume shot at goal with Campbell having to clear off the line.
In the 81st minute Michael Gustavson got forward from the visiting defence to try a longe range shot which Jackson saved at the expense of a corner. The flag kick was sent in to Stephen Ashton, but his header went just over the bar.
Billingham saw out the remaining minutes comfortably as Town ran out of ideas. Next up for Synners is a trip to Washington next Saturday, before the last game of the season at home to Whitley Bay the following Wednesday.
Teams:
BILLINGHAM SYNTHONIA: Jackson, Honeyman (Abel (Flanagan)), Jameson (Chapman), Atkinson, Hanson(c), Cater, Perry, N Scaife, Magowan, Iley, Campbell. Subs not used; Leahy, Aithwaite.
NORTHALLERTON TOWN: Wolfe, DeSilva, Green, Gustavson, Earl, Bettson(c), Holbrook (McQueenry), Dixon, Ashton, Hume, Barwick (Durrance). Subs not used; Thackray, C Toman, A Toman.
Referee: Mr B Khatib, Assistants: A Haslam, S Wilson
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