Storming fightback just fails
Alnwick Town 3
Horden Colliery Welfare 4
Albany Northern League
Division Two
A STORMING second half fightback was not enough to rescue a point for Town against promotion chasers Horden.
Goals by Jason Belisle, Neil Catlow and Gavin Keen gave Town hope of snatching a draw at St James Park.
Losing 3-1 at the break Town gave Horden a scare before the visitors went on to win through an I'Anson goal.
Manager Mac Belisle said: "The lads got an early goal and I think they thought it would be easy and switched off.
"I told them at half time Horden had not beaten us with football it was just we were being careless.
"We pulled it back to 3-2 and then had other chances to win it.
"If you score three goals you should not get beat. We really should have won it but we have given three points away again."
Town got off to a cracking start when the ball fell for Belisle to beat keeper Turvey with just five minutes played.
Buoyed by the early lead Town passed the ball well and for a spell their play blunted the Horden attack.
Sixth placed Horden, who included ex Darlington and Hartlepool player Gustavo Di Lella in their ranks, found it hard to get going.
Town's leading scorer James Swordy threatened but was forced wide by covering defenders until he had no shooting angle.
A driven Horden corner was cleared as far as Richard Kirby whose final shot was wide after good approach play.
As the half progressed Horden began to come into the game and to create shooting chances.
Keeper Wayne Belisle was called on several times in a short spell to preserve Town's lead as Horden threatened.
He could do nothing to stop Graham scoring from close range after a scramble with 26 minutes played.
They almost snatched the lead minutes later when Devine was denied a header by Belisle's finger tip save.
Both teams continued to push forward making for an entertaining game and chances continued to be wasted.
There was no mistake from Devine eight minutes before the break when he tapped home Cowley's square pass.
Looking for more goals full back Cowley made several breaks up the flanks as Town tried to get back into the game.
Town were soon two goals adrift as a mistake by defender Stuart Athey let in Devine to shoot past Belisle.
A half-time substitution saw Catlow introduced for Kirby as Town came out for the second half looking for goals.
Horden forced a corner straight from the kick-off which fell to I'Anson, but the attacker shot wide.
I'Anson added to Town's woes when he picked up a poor back pass to round Belisle and knock the ball into the empty net.
The goal stunned Town who had looked like snatching one themselves until the mistake which let in I'Anson.
Town introduced Gavin Keen as a replacement for Darren Coxford in an effort to salvage something from the game.
Belisle sent midfielder Gary Patterson away but his shot was deflected for a corner.
With 20 minutes to play Town did pull one back when Patterson played the ball through to Catlow who finished well.
The goal gave Town the belief they could force their way back into the points which had looked beyond them.
Paul McCormack tried the spectacular when his scissor kick from a Swordy cross flew over the bar.
The scoreline was reduced further when Swordy's pace took him clear and his ball across the box was knocked in by Keen.
Town almost let Horden in for another goal as they chased an equaliser with Catlow needing to clear off the line.
Then it was Horden's turn to have a defensive slip as a mix up in the back line let in McCormack who fired Town's last chance wide.
In the end Town left themselves too much to do after a bright start which had promised three welcome points for the club.
The Market Tavern man of the match: P Yeadon.
Match sponsor: TR Taylor
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Weather for Northumberland
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
