Aycliffe beat Bishop Auckland 4-2 at Moore Lane in an entertaining game, despite being down to ten men for half an hour. Bishops started brightly and McAloon put a good chance over the bar on 9 minutes. A minute later they went ahead through a disputed penalty that Johnson converted. Aycliffe suffered a further blow on the quarter hour when Andrew Grant-Soulsby got injured. He was replaced by Jamie Davis. Bishops were on top and Aycliffe had to make a goal line clearance on 24 minutes. However, on the half hour they equalised when Kurt Matthews found Craig Hutchinson and he drilled his shot low into the corner. Bishops got ahead again on 35 minutes when McAloon escaped his marker and got his shot away for 2-1. It was end-to-end stuff, and Aycliffe equalised two minutes later, Paul Kane getting on the end of a flick-on header from a free-kick. Half-time 2-2.
The second half continued in the same vein as the first, with both sides on the attack. It was Aycliffe who got in front on the hour when Kane got round the back and crossed to Jamie Davis who scored with a well executed back-flick. It looked like Aycliffe would throw it away when Ben Trotter got sent off two minutes later, but the 10 men went on to equal Bishops in all areas. They got their reward on 90 minutes when Glen Lane scored a stunning free kick. Full time 4-2.
MOTM: Hutchinson. Attendance: 184. Cautions : Wilson (54m), Banks (65m). Sending off: Trotter (62m). Subs: Davis for Grant-Soulsby (15m), Jack Oliver for Kane (76m), Pennal for Hutchinson (89m)
Upcoming fixtures are Dunston at home on Tuesday 14th November at 7.30pm (League Cup), followed by Billingham Synthonia at home on Saturday 18th November at 3.00pm. The Synners game will be the last of six consecutive home games which Aycliffe have played. We then travel to North Shields and Sunderland RCA before returning to Moore Lane on Saturday 2 December to play Jarrow Roofing
Pictured: Players, officials & supporters observe a minute’s silence on 11 November as Aycliffe Treasurer Yvonne Wood plays the Last Post
