Match Report 26/12/2023
Billingham Town 1, Billingham Synthonia 3

Ebac Northern League Division 2

Teams:
Billingham Town: Swan, McLeod, Pilling (C), Bell, Frazer, Ord, Cann, Rennison, Close, Turnbull, S Webster. Subs; H Webster, Barry, Birtles, Sturdy, Hazadi.
Billingham Synthonia: R Johnson, Miley, Lines, Davis (C), McLeod, Scaife-Wheatley (Noble), Porritt (Scotland-Peacock), Winstanley, Willshaw (A Simpson), Brown (Banki), Lavan. Unsed Subs; Heap.

Synthonia took the bragging rights in the Billingham Boxing Day derby with a 3-1 win and a hat-trick for Matty Willshaw.

Synners started on the front foot and forced a few corners which were dealt with by the home defence. Then a Declan Brown ball through to Willshaw saw the striker bring a save out of Town keeper Oliver Swan.

After a Jack Winstanley shot from the edge of the penalty area went narrowly over the bar, Synthonia opened the scoring in the 14th minute; Joe Scaife-Wheatley's free-kick into the box saw a header cleared as far as Winstanley who crossed in from the left to the back post where Jamie McLeod played back across goal for MATTY WILLSHAW to fire home.

Town levelled the game up in the 20th minute with virtually their first foray forward into the Synners' half. A free-kick into the box to HARRY CLOSE saw the forward turn inside a Synners defender before sending in a low shot past Ryan Johnson and into the net.

After a Willshaw shot went harmlessly over the bar, Synthonia regained the lead from the penalty spot in the 27th minute following a trip on Brown. MATTY WILLSHAW stepped up to fire home from twelve yards.

A third goal came in the 34th minute as Brown found MATTY WILLSHAW on the left and the striker, from a wide angle in the box, rifled in a shot to the far side of the net for his hat-trick.

Willshaw came close to adding a fourth before half-time with a shot from the left this time going inches past the far post.

Half-time: Town 1, Synners 3

After the break and a forward run from Brown saw him see sight of goal, but his shot was comfortable for Swan. Then Town advanced with a shot looping over the bar.

Very few clear cut chances were created by either side after a pulsating first 45 minutes. The last chance of the game came to Synners with Ash Lavan robbing the keeper of the ball and finding the net. However, the Referee signalled a free-kick against the Synthonia man.

Full-time: Town 1, Synners 3

Referee: L Hardy, Assistants: M Harwood, K Walton.

Attendance: 467

Match highlights from SynnersTV on YouTube