Newton Aycliffe 1-2 Garforth

Town’s chances of progressing looked bleak in the first half hour as our hosts started the game like a house on fire. After two minutes a break down the left saw Paul Broom find Scott Oldfield free in the box but the defender could only blaze wide. Not long afterwards Ben Hunter pulled off the first of many good saves he was to make over the course of the game – diving to keep out a Thomas Atkinson effort.

On three minutes though Newton Aycliffe had their goal; Paul Broom meeting a dangerous ball in from Lewis Wing and finding the net with a glancing header.

The home side were hungry for a second and The Miners were truly on the ropes; a decent move involving Oldfield and Wing ended in Wing forcing another good save by Hunter for a corner.

Town’s first chance finally came on 20 mins, Nick Black playing in Luke Mangham who shot low across keeper Jake Johnson but sadly beyond the far post. The Newtonians continued to cause us all sorts of problems down the flanks, but The Miners gradually started to find a way through the hosts’ defence and on 36 mins a free kick awarded about 25 yards out brought a slice of luck which would change the game. Jay Davis was the man to step up and deliver a low shot which keeper Johnson failed to deal with, the ball creeping its way in at his near post.

On the stroke of half time Mangham had a header saved, and Black had a great chance to equalise when breaking clear but his first touch let him down and Johnson was able to collect (ht 1-1).

Early in the second half Hunter kept Town in the game again. A cross into a crowded box from Conner Lowes ended in him pulling off a superb double save on the line, firstly from Atkinson and then from Broom.

Davies almost grabbed himself another on 50 mins with a strike from distance which flew inches over the bar. Seven mins later though the ex-Bardsey man brilliantly put us in front, beating three blue shirts and moving inside to curl the ball into the corner of the net to the delight of the away supporters and team-mates.

The introduction of Karim Ibrahim late in the first half seemed to have given Town more strength at the back and the Newtonians’ main threat switched from attacks down the flanks to some dangerous deliveries into the box. A home corner on 68 mins flashed across goal and found its way to Chris Storey who shot just over, under pressure from sub Sinmi Oyebanji.

Ten minutes later a good delivery from a corner called Hunter into action again, this time saving a Liam Clough header.
Oyebanji should have made it 3-1 on 78 mins when breaking clear of the defence and rounding sub keeper Ryan Farley but could only find the side netting.

A 2-0 advantage for the Newtonians could well have led to a different game but they couldn't find a crucial second and Garforth showed great character to force their way back in. A nervy end to the afternoon saw Hunter brilliantly tip a Thomas Hinchley header over the bar but The Miners had weathered the storm and progress to meet Harrogate Railway in the Preliminary Round.