FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
Saturday 19th January: Celtic Nation (A) 3pm
Wednesday 23rd January: Durham (H) 7.30pm
Saturday 26th January: Norton & Stockton (H) 3pm
Saturday 2nd February: Hebburn (A) 3pm
Saturday 9th February: Spennymoor (H) 3pm
Newton Aycliffe continued their 100 per cent start to 2013 with a 2-0 victory against Sunderland RCA last weekend.
Martin Young and Danny Earl both found the net in the second half to move Allan Oliver’s side seven points clear of the relegation zone in the Northern League first division.
Oliver handed a first start to Sean Reay, who joined from league-leaders Darlington last month. The former Blyth Spartans striker had the best chance of the first half but visiting goalkeeper Lewis Graham saved well to ensure it was scoreless at the break.
But after a relatively dull opening period, the fans soon had something to shout about in the second half. Five minutes after the interval referee Barry Gordon pointed to the spot after Shaw went down under Scott Pocklington’s challenge.
The Aycliffe players were incensed, feeling the former Darlington keeper had got his hands on the ball, but any injustice was soon avoided as Pocklington saved brilliantly down to his right.
Aristote Guerin-Lokonga did find a way past the goalkeeper three minutes later but the striker’s effort came bouncing back off the post.
And with that the Ryhope club appeared to believe it was not going to be their day while the Newtonians’ belief soared.
Aycliffe took the lead after 67 minutes. The excellent Young picked up the ball on the edge of the area and let fly with a low left-footed drive to find the bottom corner of the goal.
With 12 minutes left the Royal Blues made sure of the victory as substitute Kris Hughes did well down the left and pulled the ball back for Earl who clinically tucked away his 10th league goal of the season.
The Newtonians comfortably saw the game out to register only a fourth clean sheet of the season. And with the news that South Shields, Norton, Billingham Town and Newcastle Benfield had all failed to win, Aycliffe’s fans made their way home in high spirits.
Oliver’s men will look to add further distance between themselves and the drop zone this weekend when they make the trek across the A66 to face Carlisle-club Celtic Nation.
Weather permitting, the Royal Blues have the opportunity to leapfrog the Cumbrians in the table with a victory. Their lowly league position can be explained by the fact they have played fewer games than any other team in the division – having only completed 19 fixtures, they have played nine fewer games than Aycliffe.
But the Green-and-Whites have failed to win any of their last three home games and Aycliffe travel there in good form, following four wins in their last six outings.
