Emley 0, Newton Aycliffe 3
Isuzu FA Trophy, second qualifying round
By Ryan Livingston
Newton Aycliffe continued their excellent run in cup competitions by defeating Emley 3-0 in the FA Trophy second qualifying round.
It was a game on paper where Aycliffe were certainly the underdog, but once again Brian Atkinson’s side defied the odds with a marvellous performance.
The win earns them a trip to NPL Premier side Whitby Town on Saturday, October 5.
At Emley, both sides exchanged attacks early in the first half, Amir Berchill’s chip was the first attack of note but it was easily dealt with by Jim Pollard.
A few minutes later Dean Thexton’s shot narrowly glanced wide. Cole Kiernan also came close to breaking the deadlock in the first half but his shot was too high.
As the first half wore on Aycliffe became very comfortable, and on the stroke of half time Ethan Wood’s long-range shot was initially saved, but Wood again found the ball, and picked the perfect pass to tee up Thexton who expertly tapped in a poacher’s finish to make it 1-0 in 45th minute.
The second half saw Aycliffe run away with the tie, with Cole Kiernan getting two chances early in the second half, his powerful strike in the 54th minute forced a save out of Emley’s Declan Lambton and Ethan Wood’s low shot that was parried out, found the head of Kiernan but Emley’s Lambton once again denied him.
In the 65th minute the Emley defence didn’t deal with Toby Pascoe’s cross in time, and Thexton once again took advantage to score a brace and make the game even more comfortable for Aycliffe with a 2-0 scoreline.
It wouldn’t just be in attack where Pascoe excelled however, as in the 80th minute he cleared the ball away from a Aycliffe box filled with Emley players, this allowed Aycliffe to initiate a rapid counterattack which saw Liam Adamson find the feet of substitute Jake Petitjean who fired in a shot too powerful for Lambton to deal with to make it 3-0.
The game finished 3-0 in what was a brilliant away performance against opposition who held Aycliffe to a draw earlier in the season and a huge bounce back from Tuesday’s away FA Cup defeat to Warrington Rylands.
Aycliffe now return to League action with away games at Heaton Stannington and Liversedge before returning to the Ashcourt Group Stadium on Tuesday, October 1, when Sherwood Colliery will be the visitors.