Sheffield 1 v Newton Aycliffe 1
Saturday 30th March
Newton Aycliffe picked up a point at the death in a dramatic draw in Lincolnshire. Sheffield had borrowed Gainsborough Trinity’s ground following the drainage problems with their own pitch.
Aycliffe’s first chance came within three minutes and it was almost a goal. Liam Adamson crossed to Ethan Wood who chipped a shot which was initially going wide until it found the foot of Liam Jarvie at close range who tapped it into an empty net. However, Jarvie was swiftly ruled offside.
Sheffield had the bulk of momentum in the first half. Alfie Smith missed a header from point blank range and Connor Cutts had his curling shot narrowly go wide. Liam Jarvie would then go on to score another offside goal for Aycliffe. Sheffield’s next chance was what got them the goal, Cameron Johnson found Nathan Modest who outpaced Marc Costello and passed the ball to AJ Greaves who was in the centre of the box and quickly fired the ball past James Winter and into the top corner.
Winter was quickly called to action in the second half and he did well to block Nathan Modest’s low shot. He also saved a Jorome Slew curling effort a few minutes later. Aycliffe were still trying to find an equaliser, and Liam Adamson’s cross just barely missed the head of Kyle Davis as the ball went wide.
Jorome Slew would miss a big chance for Sheffield when his shot hit the bar, Aycliffe then cleared and proceeded to launch a counterattack with Liam Adamson sprinting towards goal, however he was dispossessed. Edd Hall was arguably Sheffied’s man of the match, and his brilliant saves were what kept his team in the game for the second half.
It looked as though Aycliffe were going to record a second away defeat in a row, that was until Oscar Eckley-Aldsworth’s long throw led to the ball being headed clear to the foot of Liam Adamson whose outrageous shot flew over the heads of several Sheffield players to hit the bottom corner to score, perhaps, one of the best goals Newton Aycliffe have scored all season and gain a point in the 97th minute of the game.
Aycliffe’s home game against Dunston was abandoned at half-time on Bank Holiday Monday when a first half deluge overwhelmed the Moore Lane pitch. The game has been rearranged for Tuesday 16th April.
Before that, Aycliffe visit Bridlington Town on 6th April while Carlton Town make their first visit to the SecuriCorp Stadium on 13th April.
Photo by Yvonne Wood: Marc Costello in action against Sheffield. Match report by Ryan Livingston.
