The goals and drama continued to arrive by the bucketload in Newton Aycliffe FC’s fixtures in the past week.  After a dramatic 4-3 victory against Guisborough and a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Newcastle Benfield last week in the Northern League Division One, Allan Oliver’s men went to Tow Law on Tuesday night in the Durham Challenge Cup and edged a nine-goal thriller.
It meant the last three games the Newtonians have been involved in have returned 22 goals. But the latest game, which saw Aycliffe reach the first round of the competition, was overshadowed by a bad injury on Dan Molyneux.
The Newtonian’s keeper was knocked unconscious as Martin Young’s own-goal gave the Lawyers the early advantage, which led to a 36-minute delay as an ambulance took Molyneux to a hospital for a check-up.
Teenager Ryan Farley took possession of the gloves and was soon celebrating an equaliser as Young atoned for his earlier mishap by slotting in calmly following Dan Mellanby’s through-ball.
But the home side went ahead when Dan Wilson’s 20-yard drive flew into Farley’s net.
Young then added another to his tally on the half-hour mark, volleying in Stuart Owen’s corner at the back post.
The goals kept flowing as Danny Lambert nodded into an empty net after Tow Law keeper Stephen Robinson failed to hold on to Christian Selby’s cross.
Jamie Owens made it 4-2 three minutes before the interval with a superb individual effort, slaloming his way through the hosts’ defence before delicately lifting the ball past Robinson.
And he added another superb strike three minutes after half-time when he turned the defender on the edge of the area before arrowing in a left-footed drive.
Aycliffe appeared to be coasting towards the first round of the competition but the hosts pulled two goals back to set up a nervy finale.
In the 69th minute Michael Hall spun James Oliver in the area before rifling a shot into the top corner before Steven Turnbull’s deflected effort two minutes later made it 5-4.
But Aycliffe held on to the win, with Farley making a terrific stop from Turnbull’s close-range header in stoppage time.
Allan Oliver’s men will now host Whickham or Esh Winning in the first round in November.
Meanwhile, their opening game in the Brooks Mileson League Cup will take place on Wednesday October 2nd against Team Northumbria.
The tie will kick off at 7:30pm at Moore Lane Park, while the originally scheduled league clash with local rivals Shildon will be rearranged for a later date.
This Saturday sees the Royal Blues make the long trip to Carlisle to face Celtic Nation, before Sunderland RCA visit Aycliffe on Wednesday, with kick off 7:30pm.