Saturday 22nd July – JR Cleator Cup
Newton Aycliffe 1 v Boro Rangers 1 (Aycliffe win 4-3 on penalties)
The JR Cleator Cup, the Northern League’s traditional curtain raiser, was held on Saturday at the SecuriCorp Stadium. This year the Cup was contested between the winners of the First & Second Divisions. Despite a division gap, Boro Rangers would surely prove a stern test to Brian Atkinson’s men.
A stern test it proved, the first half was a very even affair with great chances for both sides, with Aycliffe slightly edging the visitors.
Daniel Cameron, with a great double save, along with Charlie Dawson and Callum Munro making themselves a constant threat. The game would change however, when the home side were reduced to 10 men in the 33rd minute, and Rangers would quickly make the man advantage count, with Michael James, Boro Ranger’s captain, heading home from close range in the 36th.
While it felt somewhat against the run of play, the red card was certainly a catalyst in the goal and the home side went into half time 0-1 down.
But it’d only take 42 seconds for Aycliffe to make it 1-1 in the second half, an Aycliffe shot ricocheted off Boro Rangers’ Ben Turner, looping into the net to restore parity.
The rest of the second half was played at a slower tempo, with many challenges towards the game’s end. All that said, the home side showed great character to hold on for so long with ten men. With the scores level at 90 minutes, it went to penalties.
Daniel Cameron made two saves for Aycliffe before Ethan Ord stepped up to strike Aycliffe’s final penalty, to make it 4-3, and bring the JR Cleator Cup to the SecuriCorp Stadium.
The JR Cleator Cup is just another feather in the cap for Brian Atkinson’s Northern League winning Newton Aycliffe side, who will look to have a successful maiden season in the Northern Premier League East Division.
Aycliffe now have one remaining pre-season fixture, with Morpeth Town visiting Moore Lane on Friday 28 July (7:30pm kick off). The season proper then gets under way on Saturday 5 August when Aycliffe visit Guisborough Town in the Extra Preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup.
Photo by Yvonne Wood: The Aycliffe squad with the Northern League JR Cleator Cup. Match report by Ryan Livingston.
