Recap

HOOPS AIM FOR REVENGE FOR FA CUP DEFEAT AS LEAGUE LEADERS BISHOP AUCKLAND RETURN TO THE ARROWMARK

10 DAYS AFTER THE DEFEAT TO ‘THE TWO BLUES’ IN THE FA CUP, BIRTLEY AIM FOR BACK-TO-BACK HOME WINS.

LAST TIME OUT

Birtley returned to winning ways after consecutive 3-2 defeats with an impressive performance against Whitley Bay. The Hoops dominated large spells of the first period and were rewarded for their attacking start with an opening goal from Charlie Aitken after 34 minutes. The visitors struggled with injuries with two enforced substitutions before half time. Hoops keeper Alfie Gordon was forced into two stops either side of the break but in the rest of the ninety Birtley showed lots of impressive forward play and impressed for large periods. Preston Leech in the Bay goal made numerous saves to deny the Hoops from adding a second despite very good openings. 1-0 was how it finished and Birtley took their second win of the season. 

As for Bishop Auckland, they continued their fine start to the league season with an away win at North Shields. Gary Martin opened the scoring in the seventeenth minute with his third goal of the season. That is how it stayed until second half added time when Lee Hume scored a second to seal the three points. 

REVERSE FIXTURE

If the two teams have already met this season the “About the Oppo’ section will be replaced by a short report of the reverse fixture. 

These two teams met only ten days ago in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round. Bishop Auckland had a barnstorming start with two goals in the first ten minutes. First, Amar Purewal was played in and finished calmly, before Gary Martin came onto a cut back on the edge of the box and slotted home to the right hand post. Birtley however hadn’t given up on the FA Cup dream and fought back. James Proctor beat the keeper to a ball over the top and fired it home. Then, on the stroke of half time, Regan Paterson ran onto an excellent ball across from Nick Marley to shoot in off the post and score his first goal for the club. That left it level at the break but on the hour mark Dane Burlace fired a free kick from the edge of the area under the wall and into the bottom left corner of Gordon’s goal. Despite much pressure in the closing stages the visitors held on to progress.

LEAGUE POSITION 

Birtley Town:

Form: L, W, L*, L, W

League Position: 13th – 6 points – (P4, W2, L2,)

Bishop Auckland:

Form: L, W, W*, W, W

League Position: 1st – 15 points – (P6, W5, L1)

*- denotes cup fixture

COMING UP

The postponed game away to Whitley Bay has been rearranged for this Saturday 22nd August at 3pm. Then next Tuesday 25th we are back at home against Thornaby with a 7:30pm kick off. 

UP THE HOOPS