Newton Aycliffe 3, Carlton Town 2
By Ryan Livingston
Newton Aycliffe defeated Carlton Town in spectacular fashion on Saturday.
It was among Aycliffe’s best performances of the season, seeing Brian Atkinson’s side valiantly win 3-2 after going 2-0 down in just 15 minutes.
The win moved Aycliffe up to eighth in the NPL East Division on 22 points.
A mere one minute 50 seconds was on the clock when Niall Hylton’s cross found the unmarked head of Nathan Watson.
Carlton doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Watson claimed his brace as he took advantage of Aycliffe failing to clear the ball from a dangerous place in the box.
The home side were not ones to be disheartened however and a long cross found the head of Dean Thexton, Thexton couldn’t get a perfect header and Liam Jarvie also couldn’t get a flush connection, but Jake Petitjean was on hand to fire the ball from out the box which crashed into the foot of Carlton’s Harry Spratt.
Whilst very much looking like an own goal, the scorer was credited as Petitjean in the 19th minute.
Not only was this Petitjean’s second goal of the week, but it was also his first half goal on Tuesday which kickstarted the comeback against Pontefract Colleries.
Despite Aycliffe having all the possession and chances, they went into the second interval 2-1 down.
The second half saw Aycliffe once again be the superior side and from a corner Petitjean’s header went to the edge of the box where it found Liam Adamson who looped the perfect ball to Jarvie for him to head it home and make it 2-2 in the 65th minute.
The final parts of the game saw Aycliffe stay dominant and they would get the third goal and match winning goal they so richly deserved when Ethan Wood set up Wayne Whitfield who jinked past Carlton’s Alex Howes.
Whitfield then fired an outrageous curling finish that flew past the Carlton wall who were now firmly parking the bus and also past the hands of Felix Annan to make it 3-2 in the 89th minute, sealing victory for Aycliffe against one of the divisions tougher sides, and also a side who had won at The Ashcourt Group Stadium last season.
Aycliffe continue their run of home games with the visit of Bradford (Park Avenue) on Saturday (November 9) and Ashington on Tuesday, November 12.
- The above picture, by Yvonne Wood, shows Aycliffe’s celebrations after Wayne Whitfield scored the winning goal against Carlton.
