North Ferriby 2, Newton Aycliffe 3
By Ryan Livingston
Newton Aycliffe enjoyed yet another brilliant away performance on Saturday as they defeated North Ferriby FC 3-2 in what was an engaging and a dramatic encounter.
Aycliffe’s first chance saw Wayne Whitfield go wide from a volley outside the box, indeed, Whitfield’s strike was just a premonition of what was to come for the midfielder as he’d later go on to be an integral part of the game.
Ferriby’s first chance ended with a spectacular double save by Jim Pollard, he initially parried Danny East’s low driven shot, and also blocked Max McMilan’s weak rebound within seconds of each other.
The first goal of the game would see Aycliffe go in front when Liam Adamson on the wing passed to Liam Jarvie in the box, Jarvie’s shot curled high and hit the left side of the post.
The ball would ricochet off and find the feet of Wayne Whitfield who had snuck into the box unmarked and managed to dispatch a low strike to make it 1-0 to Aycliffe in the 24th minute.
Dean Thexton almost made it 2-0 in the 33rd minute but Ferriby’s Bottomley managed to save his powerful rebound.
The score would remain 1-0 at the end of the first half. As soon as the first half started East had a golden opportunity to make it 1-1, but his finish went high over Pollard and the net itself.
Aycliffe would make it 2-0 when Joe Ferguson’s cross from his own half found Liam Adamson.
Adamson wasted no time in getting into the box as he completely outpaced Ferriby’s Jack Johnson and set up Liam Jarvie who tapped it home in the 62nd minute.
The attacking onslaught continued as in the 69th minute a Dale Elgie cross flew over the entire midfield and found Wayne Whitfield on the edge of the Ferriby box.
Whitfield jived and bamboozled past Ferriby’s captain Niall Tilsley and fired a low shot that slithered past Bottomley and into the bottom corner making it 3-0.
Ferriby would score twice late on however, firstly when Josh Whiteley fired in a free kick that Tom Corner headed in in the 79th minute.
Things would get even more nervy then when MOTM Wayne Whitfield was sent off for a tackle against Niall Tilsley in the 86h minute.
Pollard eventually was beaten after yet another cross into the box, but Joe Ferguson saved Jack Johnson’s would-be goal from off the line and expertly fed it back to Pollard demonstrating nothing short of brilliant defensive skill.
Ferriby did have the game’s final goal, a cross found Levi Tarbotton who headed it into a crowded penalty box.
The goal was given to Niall Tilsley, although it probably did take a deflection off an Aycliffe defender. Regardless Aycliffe held on for three huge points against a playoff chasing (and 4th place) side away from home.
After another east coast trip (to Grimsby Borough) Aycliffe return to Moore Lane on Saturday, December 7, when league leaders Cleethorpes Town will be the visitors.