Carlisle City 1, Newton Aycliffe 2
By Bob Wood
Newton Aycliffe took another giant step towards the Ebac Northern League title on Saturday with a 2-1 win at Carlisle City.
Goals from Liam Jarvie and Jake Petitjean secured the win which means that Aycliffe need just one point from their last two games to guarantee the title.
They also have a +17 goal difference over title rivals Ashington.
The first half at Carlisle was goal-less, doing nothing to calm the nerves of the strong contingent of Aycliffe supporters who had made the trip over.
The attendance of 180 was Carlisle’s second best of the season with only their local derby against Penrith bettering it.
The game was decided by two goals early in the second half. On 52 minutes Joe Ferguson’s cross found Jarvie who notched up his 23rd league goal of the season. The former Darlington Town striker is currently the league’s leading scorer.
Barely five minutes later Petitjean made it 2-0 with a shot which went in off the post.
That was Aycliffe’s 800th goal since joining Northern League Division One in 2011/12.
There was an anxious last few minutes for the visitors as Carlisle City grabbed a late goal but the referee’s full-time whistle was greeted with delight by the travelling supporters who applauded their players off the pitch.
Brian Atkinson’s side now have just two games to play to finish what has been an extraordinary season.
On Wednesday (April 19) they travel to Northallerton while the season will end at Penrith on Saturday (April 22).
Once again large numbers of Aycliffe fans are planning to make the trip and are hoping that for the first time in the town’s history our club will be promoted to Step 4 of the National League System.
The above picture, by Yvonne Wood, shows Liam Jarvie in action at Carlisle.