Hebburn Town 1

Northallerton Town 1

NORTHALLERTON Town's division two promotion hopes suffered a severe blow last Saturday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at third-bottom Hebburn Town.

With all their promotion rivals - Washington Nissan, West Allotment Celtic, Prudhoe Town and Newcastle Blue Star - winning, Town have now slipped from top of the league to third and have played three more games than Nissan, Celtic and Blue Star.

Town went into this game without leading scorer Craig Skelton, who was unavailable, central defender Craig Winter, who is recovering from illness, and midfielder Steven Cochrane, who is suspended.

But manager Paul Burton was able to recall central defender Stuart Jackson, who missed the previous week's defeat against West Allotment Celtic.

Hebburn, who are fighting a relegation battle at the bottom of the league, made a positive start and created two good chances in the first minute through Gary Donaldson.

He first hit a great shot from just inside the area which Town keeper Sam Dobbs saved just under the bar and seconds later he was again denied by Dobbs, who went low to his right to keep out a ten-yard drive.

Hebburn continued to apply pressure and they went close again in the seventh minute when Paul Clegg fired wide of the post from a good position in front of goal.

Town's first real chance came in the 12th minute when a Ross Diamond header from a David Onions right-wing cross was well held by Hebburn keeper Gary Frater.

Then, in the 17th minute, a Dominic Gamble left-wing cross was met by Onions, but he volleyed high over the bar.

Onions was unfortunate in the 25th minute when his well-struck ten-yard drive, following a right-wing cross, was blocked on the line by the Hebburn keeper's left leg.

It was all Town at this stage and they took the lead in the 30th minute with a well-worked goal. Simon Colligan received a great through ball from Andy Swalwell and neatly side-stepped Frater before rolling the ball into the empty net.

John Ryan then went close to adding a second, but his powerful shot from the edge of the area just cleared the bar.

Right on the stroke of half-time Dobbs made a great save to keep out a well-struck 20-yard free kick from Hebburn's Joe Donaghy.

Town should have made the game safe in the opening 15 minutes of the second half when they created at least four good chances. In the 50th minute a 20-yard drive from Gamble following an Onions cross was well held by Frater, then a Diamond corner was headed just wide by Onions.

Ryan then tested Frater with an 18-yard volley following a Colligan right-wing cross, before the keeper did well to deny Ryan again when he saved his drive from the edge of the area.

But Town were stunned in the 67th minute when Hebburn drew level through Gary Armstrong, who beat Dobbs with a low, close-range shot which crept just inside the post.

Diamond almost regained the lead for Town in the 70th minute when he hit a superb 22-yard drive which beat Frater, but skimmed the bar.

Two minutes from time substitute Anthony Roberts had a good chance when the high bounce from a long ball into the Hebburn area beat Frater. But Roberts, who was in the clear, failed to take advantage as he elected to try a first-time volley which went high and wide of the unguarded net.

Northallerton are at home to Norton and Stockton Ancients in the league tomorrow and the same opponents visit the Calvert Stadium again on Wednesday for the semi-final of the Craven Cup.