Sorry I’ve been a bit late posting this but at my age going to bed at 4am isn’t too good for my health (and beauty) of course. Nevertheless hope you approve.
UniBond Premier League – Wednesday March 11th 2008
GATESHEAD 0 WITTON ALBION 2 att. 368
Team: Kennedy; Coo, Pritchard, Barras, Brownhill; Peers, MacPherson, Lloyd (Brown 76), Brodie; Warlow (Evans 88), Thornley (Rapley 79).
Man of the Match – ALL OF THEM
Having failed to gain a single point in their past seven visits to the empty vacuum what is the International Stadium, Albion, for the second successive match clinically laid this type of bogey firmly to rest. All three points at home to Leek hadn’t been obtained in an equal seven attempts but now these two victories has culminated in Witton amassing 75 points, from a possible 96, as well as establishing a mind blowing goal difference of +50 in their relentless march in pursuit of the UniBond League title.
The considerable following of yellow clad Wittoners ensured the Gateshead turnstiles saw a 25% increase on their average and the vocal support throughout was truly awesome and both management and the Chairman couldn’t praise the devoted enough.
With the third placed home team needing nothing short of all three points their emphasis on attacking play very nearly came unstuck in only the 3rd minute. Adam Warlow broke down the left, calmly waited for Mark Peers to come up in support before laying the ball off. Try as he could Peers couldn’t create a clear opportunity but when the ball was rolled to Rob Lloyd his low effort beat keeper Paul Musselwhite but unfortunately struck the base of the right hand post.
Peers tried a shot himself on 10 minutes that went over the bar before he superbly linked up with Liam Brownhill and Warlow only for the latter’s attempt to be beaten out for a corner kick by Musselwhite.
The right winger was causing lots of consternation with his dribbling and clever footwork, unlike his counterpart David Southern who throughout the opening half appeared like he was in charge of a submarine with his constant diving that managed to bring a caution for Cavell Coo. It was though from a cross-field ball from Peers that Albion vitally got their noses in front in the 19th minute. His inch perfect ball fell into the path of LIAM BROWNHILL who from the edge of the penalty area struck firmly home past the keeper.
Ten minutes later, from another flowing move involving Dave MacPherson and Lloyd, Warlow’s shot was smothered by Musselwhite. Although Southern maintained his frustrating act his two woeful flag kicks brought huge derision from the massed Albion ranks as they drifted behind the goal, former Northwich Victoria hero Paul Brayson attempted several times to work an opening but the defending of the twin mountains of Tony Barras and Brian Pritchard, backed by the Herculean efforts of other yellow shirted players was wondrous to see. Behind them Jon Kennedy was faultless in his handling of any crosses or distant efforts.
With the Wittoners in full voice giving a long rendition of the classic Steam anthem “Na Na Hey Hey” the team on the park seemed to respond even more and on 55 minutes to the background singing DAVE MacPHERSON steamed forward to unleash a 15 yard drive past Musselwhite. What scenes of jubilation this brought and thing nearly got better ten minutes later when Warlow, who along with Rod Thornley had worked their socks off to ensure Gateshead were penned back as much as possible, twice saw his shots blocked.
The Wittoners “favourite” Southern somehow escaped any colour of card when he cynically took Brownhill out, similarly it was to be Jamie Harwood late in the game who escaped totally when he retaliated with his hands following substitute Kevin Rapley’s illegal challenge, needless to say the Witton player was carded as was Brownhill for merely kicking the ball away when Gateshead were resorting to more desperate attempts to get into the game.
From the one good position the home side managed to obtain with thirteen minutes remaining, cue Kennedy to thwart the attempt when he stood firm to deny a fiercely driven shot from ten yards out from breaching his fortress.
You’ll maybe have noticed that I haven’t yet mentioned the remaining member of the starting line-up. However whether the fact that he was born in Sunderland had any bearings at all wasn’t too clear but throughout the whole match Steve Brodie’s performance was immaculate.
A job well done!!