Dunston (1) vs (2) Tow Law, Saturday 23rd Febuary

Dunston: Clark, Cattenach, Burns, Robson, O’Bern, Dixon, Harkin, Laws, Devine, Young, Pickering. Subs Dunn, Ludlow, Swanston, Campbell, Pattinson.

Tow Law: Norton, Dixon, Hollingsworth, Hutt, Langthorne, Mudd, McGuire, Renshaw, Benjamin, Teesdale, Eccles. Subs Bell, Allen, Maughan, Shields, Wilkinson.

Tow Law visited Dunston Federation for this ANL fixture, possible for the last time with “The Fed” hoping to finish in the top 6 and take promotion to the Unibond.
Defending the carp park end, Tow Law found themselves under early pressure, kicking into the teeth of a strong wind.
After 8 minutes, ex-Lawyer, Steven Pickering got to the goal line and crossed over the Tow Law defence where Dixon had the easiest of knock-ins to give Fed the lead.
Dunston 1 – 0 Tow Law Town.
On 11 minutes, Tow Law were awarded a free kick in a good position. Eccles delivered, but Clark held the ball in the home goal.
On 18 minutes, Langthorne was fouled and sustained an ankle injury, forcing a substitution. Bell replaced Langthorne.
On 21 minutes 2 successive corners for Tow Law amounted to nothing.
With the wind at their backs, Dunston pressed forward, looking to double their lead. After 25 minutes, some good work from Laws/Harkin on the right resulted in Devine getting in a header at the far post which hit the crossbar and was cleared to safety.
Tow Law hit straight back and Alex Benjamin hit just wide from 22 yards.
Tow Law were disadvantaged by the wind in the first half but despite this almost levelled matters after 43 when Teesdale looked in a good position to score, O’Bern got in a saving tackle. The following corner resulted in Hutt heading over the bar.

Half time; Dunston 1 – 0 Tow Law Town.

With the advantage of the wind for the second half, The Lawyers hoped to get quickly back into the game.
On 47 minutes, Eccles tested the home keeper with a shot on goal, but Clark was equal to the challenge.
Dunston responded 2 minutes later, Devine in a good position saw Norton save his shot.
On 61 minutes, Eccles hit a 30 yard volley just wide of the goal.
After 65 minutes, Harkin beat the offside trap and tried an ambitious 35 yard chip but with the windy conditions was never likely to succeed.
Teasdale tried an ambitious 30 yard effort for Tow Law which wasn’t far off target and Hollingsworth volleyed a shot just wide of goal.
On 81 minutes, Tow Law made another substitution, Maughan replacing Dixon.
“The Fed” were really on the back foot for the final 10 minutes and in the 83rd minute the visitors were awarded a free kick which was laid off to Benjamin whose shot from 22 yards swerved away from the keeper but “clatted the post”.
After 87 minutes, Tow Law were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous looking position which Benjamin hit just over.
With 90 minutes on the clock, Dunston still held a 1 goal lead, but all that was about to change.
Tow Law piled on the pressure and in an eventful last 90 seconds of 3 additional minutes, they forced two successive corners – the second of which appeared to have been cleared but fell to McGuire who, from 25 yards out, hit a perfect shot into the bottom left corner.
Dunston 1 – 1 Tow Law Town.
Within 40 seconds of the restart the ball fell to Eccles, who perfectly executed a side foot into the corner and somehow Tow Law had snatched a excellent win.
Final score; Dunston 1 – 2 Tow Law Town.

Sunderland Nissan (1) v (4) Tow Law Town, Saturday 16th Febuary 2008

Nissan Newton, Scott, Wells, Hodgson, Ryan (L), Keegan, Ryan (B), Walklate, Tait, Cogden, Stewart.
Subs – Reay, Radigan, Milner, Mitchell, Pearson.

Tow Law – Norton, Gowland, Hollingsworth, Hutt, Langthorne, Mudd, March, Renshaw, Benjamin, McGuire, Eccles.
Subs – Bell, Maughan, Dixon, Allen, Wilkinson.

Tow Law visited the Nissan Sports Complex for this Arngrove Northern League Division 1 fixture.
On 3 minutes, Wells’ long ball to Stewart was crossed to Tait. He set up Walklate, but the shot went just wide of the post.
A minute later, Benjamin, making his debut for the Lawyers, collected the ball wide on the left wing. Moving in field his cross/shot was chested off the line by a defender, into the path of Renshaw, who made no mistake from 6 yards.
Nissan 0 – 1 Tow Law.
On 7 minutes, Ryan played a long ball over the Tow Law defence for Cogden to run clear & shoot. Norton savrd well.
After 18 minutes, Renshaw’s free kick to the back post found Benjamin, but his shot back across the goal went just wide.
A minute later, Tow Law were forced into a substitution. Gowland was the victim of a late tackle by Stewart & suffered an ankle injury.
Dixon replaced Gowland at full back.
As the game restarted, Hodgson played the ball from the halfway line to Norton in the Lawyers’ goal. The low sun, shining down the pitch was causing allsorts of problems, Norton lost the flight of the ball, which rolled into the net.
Nissan 1 – 1 Tow Law.
Sportingly, from the restart, Nissan allowed Benjamin to walk the ball up field & restore the 1 goal advantage.
Nissan 1 – 2 Tow Law.
On 26 minutes, Stewart almost equalised, when his shot crashed against the crossbar, after good play down the left wing.
Benjamin was looking mobile, leading the Lawyers’ forward line & on 37 minutes, his shot from 20 yards only just cleared the bar.
On 44 minutes, Nissan were awarded a free kick 20 yards from goal. The ball was rolled to Walklate & his shot brought an excellent save from Norton.
Half time: Nissan 1 – 2 Tow Law.
The second half saw Nissan defence looking up the field, straight into the setting sun.
On 54 minutes, Eccles disposed Hodgson & advanced into the penalty area, where he squared the ball to the unmarked Benjamin, who calmly rounded Newton & rolled the ball into the empty net.
Nissan 1 – 3 Tow Law.
On 63 minutes, Nissan replaced Ben Ryan with Gary Pearson, but the substitute was only to remain on the pitch for 4 minutes. He was shown a straight red card for a high 2 footed tackle, leaving Eccles injured on the ground. The resulting free kick saw Benjamin head just over the bar at the back post.
After 72 minutes, Renshaw was fouled on the edge of the home area & reacted to comments made by the Nissan defence. Renshaw was booked for unsporting behaviour. Eccles took the resulting free kick, bringing a good save from Newton.
On 83 minutes, Bell replaced Eccles, who had been hampered with the earlier injury.
On 88 minutes, Bell released Benjamin to run clear on goal & shoot low past Newton’s right hand into the corner of the goal.
Full time: Nissan 1 – 4 Tow Law.
Tow Law got back to winning ways with a thoroughly deserved victory & a hat-trick for Alex Benjamin, making his debut after signing from Bedlington Terriers.

Durham City (5) v (2) Tow Law Town, Saturday 6th Febuary 2008

Durham – Mohan, Harrison, Davidson, Dodds, Bowes, Smith, Toft, Graydon, Richardson, Johnston, Capper.
Subs – English, Caffry, Smith, Morris, Farrell.

Tow Law – Norton, Hutt, Hollingsworth, Langthorne, Renshaw, Mudd, Gowland, March, Bobell, Dixon, Eccles.
Subs – Walker, Allen, McGuire, Bell, Young.

Tow Law visited New Ferens Park for this Arngrove Northern League Division 1 fixture against Championship pace setter, Durham City.
An early break by Anth March, saw the ball fed to debutant, Anth Dobell on 2 minutes. Unfortunately the Lawyers’ centre forward shot wide.
On 8 minutes, Eccles delivered a free kick deep into the home area. Hutt headed the ball back into the danger area & Dobell was unlucky to see his shot strike the bar.
On 16 minutes, Durham attacked with pace down their right wing. The Tow Law defence failed to clear & Graydon shot over the bar.
2 minutes later, again the visitors’ defence failed to clear, allowing Capper to shoot straight at Norton in the Tow Law goal.
On 34 minutes, Gowland & Mudd exchanged passes, Gowland’s shot was turned around the post for a corner.
On 41 minutes, ex Lawyer Davison was booked for a heavy challenge from behind on Gowland.
With only a minute to half time, March picked up the ball in his own half & ran at the retreating City defenders. The ball was played out to Dixon, but his cross was easily dealt with by Mohan.
Almost immediately, Mohan released the ball to Toft, wide right on the halfway line. He attacked & cut inside onto his left foot, shooting low past Norton & just inside theleft post to give Durham the lead.
The referee signalled half time straight after the restart.
Hal time: Durham 1 – 0 Tow Law.
Durham were quickly out of the blocks in the 2nd half.
On 49 minutes, a quick free kick into the Tow Law area stretched Langthorne, who could only help it into the path of Graydon. He side footed the ball past the isolated Norton.
Durham 2 – 0 Tow Law.
On 52 minutes, McGuire replaced Dixon.
On 54 minutes, a poor clearance by the Tow Law defence was picked off by Richardson, who increased City’s lead further with an accurate shot.
Durham 3 – 0 Tow Law.
Tow Law responded well. Within a minute, Mudd exchanged passes on the edge of the box with Dobell. Mudd was released behind the City defence to calmly shoot across Mohan & into the goal.
Durham 3 – 1 Tow Law.
On 58 minutes, Durham almost restored their 3 goal advantage, but Norton did well to save Graydon’s shot.
On 60 minutes, Tow Law attacked down the right wing, releasing Gowland to shoot low past Mohan into the right corner of the net.
Durham 3 – 2 Tow Law.
Just as the Lawyers thought they were right back in the game, on 62 minutes, Toft & Harrison combined on the right wing & the ball was crossed to the far post where Johnston headed home.
Durham 4 – 2 Tow Law.
Within a minute, Hollingsworth played a long ball behind the home defence, for Eccles to go close to scoring.
On 85 minutes, the scoring was completed. Smith, on for Graydon, picked up the ball on the edge of the Tow Law area. He took the ball past 3 defenders & shot accurately past Norton.
Final Score: Durham 5 – 2 Tow Law.