Johnson leads Bishops to victory in late fightback

Johnson is now up to 19 league goals for the season as Bishops came from 2-0 down for the second time this week to win the game – a stark contrast to their form earlier this month when they were losing matches by conceding late goals.

Bishop Auckland manager Steve Riley said; “The lads showed great character to bounce back after a sloppy first half.

“We must start to show the same level of concentration for the full game as we can’t keep giving teams head starts. There were some good performances from subs John Jury and Zac Atkinson to get us back into the game and obviously AJ is on fire, so we always have a chance when he is around.

“Sleeping in for kicks offs will cost us soon though if we don’t sort it out.”

Washington took the lead with a header by Gary Shaw, then Matty Waters scored with a long range shot that Bishops keeper Ed Wilczynski should have done better with.

But Johnson pulled a goal back from the penalty spot after he was brought down on 43 minutes, and he levelled from a few yards on 67 minutes after the Washington keeper dropped a Jeff Smith cross.

Johnson then set up Stuart Thompson to fire into the roof of the net to put them in front, and in stoppage time Johnson scored his 31st goal in total for the season when he scored from the rebound after Jonathan Wright hit the bar.

Guisborough parted company with their manager Steve Dowling in midweek after a run of 12 matches without a win, but his former players responded with a 2-1 home win over Whitley Bay and lifted themselves off the bottom of the table.

Alex Kempster put Whitley into an early lead and they missed two chances to increase their lead before Guisborough levelled on 27 minutes with a strike by Connor Smith.

Guisborough kept battling away, and veteran striker David Onions got the winner when he beat a defender and fired past Whitley keeper Tom Flynn.

Dave Markham, who took caretaker charge of the team, has stood down because of work reasons, so Guisborough will try and appoint another manager, caretaker or otherwise, before Wednesday’s North Riding Senior Cup tie with Whitby Town.

Whitley Bay assistant manager Anthony Woodhouse said; “We’re very disappointed. We started well and scored after just 4 minutes, we dominated the game for the next 20/25 minutes, then Guisborough scored and we went out of the game. They scored in the second half and we huffed and puffed and got what we deserved. It was a sad way to end our unbeaten run.”

Newton Aycliffe striker John Campbell has now got 22 goals for the season after he scored a hat trick in their 5-1 away win at third bottom West Allotment – they beat the same opponents 8-1 earlier in the season.

Campbell pounced on a poor headed back pass to put Aycliffe into the lead early on, then he scored with a volley from a corner.

Shaun Reay pulled a goal back from a 25 yard free kick, but Jordan Laidler coolly scored the third from a through ball. Alan Harrison scored the fourth after Dennis Knight’s shot was parried, and then Campbell raced through and completed his hat trick. Aycliffe are now fifth.

Newton Aycliffe manager Peter Dixon said; “Our finishing was top drawer, and John was different class.”

West Allotment manager Paul Stoneman said; “We gifted them two daft goals in the first half and then got ourselves back in it with a great goal by Shaun Reay. We were the better side in the last 20 minutes then again for the second week in a row we never came out for the second half and Aycliffe won with ease. Best wishes to Ben Wood of Aycliffe who picked up a nasty injury.”

West Auckland are now eight points clear of the relegation zone after they came from behind to beat Sunderland RCA.

The visitors took the lead with a hotly disputed penalty by Colin Larkin, but West levelled on 21 minutes when Mark Hudson scored at the second attempt from an Adam Burnicle pass.

West were awarded a penalty for a foul by RCA’s Jonny Butler, who was sent off, but Burnicle blasted the penalty against the bar.

Burnicle was involved in the winner, when his shot was parried by the RCA keeper for new signing Phil Caley to score.

It was all RCA in the second half despite their man disadvantage, but West held on.

Sunderland RCA manager Marty Swales said; “We battered them with ten men. We had numerous chances to score but it was not to be. Our keeper had nothing to do for the last hour. It was three points dropped.”

West Auckland manager Darren Williams said; “It was a great first half display, Our link up play created some good chances and maybe we should have been 3 or 4-1 up at half time. In fairness, the RCA were the better side in the second half.”

Ryhope CW have now won four league games in a row with a good 4-2 home win over Marske United.

James Ellis fired Ryhope into the lead after 15 minutes, then Chris Trewick headed the second from a few yards.

Ryhope missed some good chances for a third, before Marske pulled a goal back through Corey Nicholson on 75 minutes. But Ryhope kept their composure and Ellis beat a defender and fired past Robbie Deane, and even though Danny Earl pulled a goal back, Ellis completed his hat trick in the last minute.

Marske manager Carl Jarrett said; “We were rubbish.”

Ryhope CW manager Gary Pearson said; “It was our best all round performance of the season to date. We could have been in front by four or five at half time but was still happy with two. Second half we didn’t get as much of our own way but we defended really well and was most pleased with our replies to both their goals to retain our two goal advantage.”

Consett are now unbeaten in nine games after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Ashington.

Consett took the lead with a Luke Sullivan penalty after Ashington defender Jon Tiffoney – signed from West Auckland -- was controversially penalised for handball, and they missed several chances to finish the game off before Tiffoney pounced on a mistake by Consett keeper Gareth Young for the equaliser.

Consett manager Mark Eccles said; “A draw was probably a fair result. I thought we were the better side in the first half, and Ashington in the second.”

League leaders North Shields thumped Seaham Red Star 6-0 to stay eight points clear at the top.

Shields were four goals up at half time, with efforts by Lee Mason, Dean Holmes, Dan Wilson and an own goal, and in the second half Holmes and Wilson added further goals. Seaham have now dropped to ninth place.

North Shields manager Jon McDonald said; “It was a first class performance from the lads. We dominated the first half and deservedly went in at half time 4-0 up. An excellent performance both in and out of possession.”

Second placed South Shields beat Dunston UTS 3-1 at Mariners Park.

Carl Finnigan headed Shields in front from a Julio Arca corner, but early in the second half Harvey Saunders levelled from a Scott Heslop pass.

Jon Shaw headed Shields back in front on 77 minutes from a Danny Carson cross, then Shaw scored another header from a Wayne Phillips cross.

Dunston UTS manager Chris Swailes said; “The lads did really well. They worked hard but the goals were preventable.”

Morpeth are in touch with the top two after beating Jarrow Roofing 4-0.

They went in front when Chris Reid scored from a Ben Sayer corner, then Sayer ran through the Jarrow defence and fired into the bottom corner from 25 yards before half time.

Jarrow kept battling away, but they conceded a third with ten minutes left when Michael Chilton tapped in after Sayer’s shot was saved. Steven Anderson slotted the fourth late in the game.

Morpeth manager Nick Gray said; “It was a good solid performance by the whole squad as the three substitutes all made a good impact which is exactly what you want and defensively we were excellent.”

Jarrow Roofing manager Richie McLoughlin said; “Apart from the goals we did well as a team. Just the first two goals, luck wasn’t on our side.”

In the second division, Stockton Town are now up to second after they came from behind to beat Tow Law 3-2 at Bishopton Road.

Lawyers took the lead through Kevin Dixon on 9 minutes, but Max Craggs levelled with a free kick for Stockton on his return to the club following his transfer from Billingham Synthonia.

Lawyers went back in front through Kelvin Thear just on half time, and they held on to the lead until they were undone in the last seven minutes.

Tony Johnson levelled, and then with a minute left Sonni Coleman got the winner to put Stockton ahead of Billingham Synthonia, who didn’t play.

Stockton Town manager Micky Dunwell said; “It was a good win against a tough side. Not the best performance by us, but to win when not playing well is a positive. Tony Johnson and Sonni Coleman both coming off the bench shows how important each member of the squad is! Max Craggs did well on his debut, he scored a great free kick.”

Billingham Town striker Craig Hutchinson scored a hat trick inside the first 20 minutes against Whickham on their way to a 7-0 home win. Hutchinson went on to score five, to give him 21 league goals for the season. Ste Oakley and Luke Hogan scored the others to put Town in the right mood for their Vase tie at Bottesford this Saturday.

Billingham Town manager Barry Oliver said; “The first half was the best 45 minutes I’ve ever been involved in at this club. Our approach play was outstanding, and we were top class from start to finish and a massive credit goes to my players for understanding the word togetherness. Our attitude and desire at the moment are second to none. From back to front, the work ethic is unreal.”

Durham City stayed well in touch with the top three after beating Alnwick 2-0 at Belle View. Brad Hird put them in front on 10 minutes, with Kieran Harnett adding the second with a deflected shot late on.

Durham manager Olly Hotchkiss said; “We played very well and controlled the game from start to finish. We could have had a few more but we were up against a well drilled Alnwick team, but we played very well.”

Easington had a good 3-2 away win at Heaton Stannington to keep them in fifth place.

Josh Holland put Heaton ahead just 15 minutes into his debut with a low shot, but Reece Kenney levelled from the spot.

Dan Robinson headed Heaton back in front on 42 minutes, but Kenney levelled with an excellent free kick on 65 minutes then Shaun Smith fired into the top corner for the winner.

Thornaby climbed two places up to 16th by beating bottom club Esh Winning 3-1 at Teasdale Park.

Esh took the lead with a goal by Kieran Day after a mistake in the Thornaby defence, but Gary Mitchell quickly equalised. Mitchell then finished off a good move to put his team in front, and then made sure of the points with a second half penalty. Esh are still three points adrift of second bottom Darlington RA.

Esh Winning manager Tony Boakes said; “We were very poor from start to finish today. After we went 1-0 up we had a bad injury to Scott Arnott that seemed to affect the whole side.”

Thornaby manager Paul Burton said; “We created a few early chances, but Esh went down the other end and opened the scoring after a mistake by our keeper. That unsettled us, but Gary Mitchell scored twice before half time. Esh put us under pressure in the second half, but then Mitchell scored his third. The last 20 minutes were comfortable and we created several good opportunities, overall it was a good result and performance.”

Blyth Town are seventh in the table, after second half goals from Malky Morien and Gary Day gave them a 2-0 away win at Ryton and Crawcrook.

Northallerton drew 1-1 with Brandon. Stephen Jackson opened up the Brandon defence for Liam Jarvie to score after 5 minutes, but Steven Turnbull equalised before half time with a shot on the turn before half time.

Brandon finished the game with ten men after Shane Todd was red carded for his part in an off the ball incident.

Northallerton manager Darren Trotter said; “It was a very disappointing. Well done to Brandon who made us play the way we didn’t want to.”

The games at Chester-le-Street, Penrith, Bedlington, Crook and Darlington RA, were all postponed.