Town taken to task in first game after enforced lay-off

BILLINGHAM TOWN 5

Alnwick didn’t get 2016 off to the best of starts as visitors Billingham Town scored five unanswered goals to take all three points home on Saturday.

The visitors almost netted inside the first minute, Jamie Davis hit a weak shot forcing a low diving save from Luc Glasper. Billingham did open the scoring 10 minutes in, top scorer Craig Hutchinson added to his seasons tally finishing low to Glasper’s right, 1-0 to the visitors.

Alnwick almost hit back three minutes later when Tony Brown’s free kick hit the bar from a ridiculously tight angle.

Billingham scored again, Hutchinson beat Tom MacPherson before back heeling cleverly to Gary Redman. Andrew Lambert slotted home from the pull back but the linesman flagged for offside keeping the score to 1-0. With half an hour down Alnwick had the ball in the net, David Brown rounded keeper Shaun Scotter and rolled the ball into an empty net, only for it to be disallowed for a rather controversial offside.

Ex-Newcastle man Jonathyn Quinn had the chance to open his Alnwick account with 37 minutes gone but shot straight at the keeper. Billingham made Alnwick pay for the missed chances, Jack Connor slid onto a pull back from Hutchinson with the ball just sneaking inside of the post on the stroke of half time. Alnwick went into the break 2-0 down.

The situation worsened for the home side with just one second half minute gone, Hutchinson was again the scorer, smashing the ball into the top near corner to add a third to the lead.

Quinn again went close to pulling one back as he cut onto his right foot and hit a dipping and swerving shot. Scotter parried the ball but recovered under no challenge.

The bar was once again struck by the home side just before the hour mark as Ross Gair cannoned a shot off the woodwork as Alnwick still couldn’t find the net. Kieran Hogg also tried and failed to get on the scoresheet, seeing is free kick fly just inches over the crossbar.

Two goals in five minutes wiped away any hope of a comeback. For the first Daniel Maloney lobbed Glasper before Jack Connor blasted home from about a yard out to make sure the fourth was added.

With 10 minutes left on the clock the rout was completed, substitute Callum Croker rounded Glasper and put the ball home to secure the three points for Billingham Town, with a 5-0 scoreline.

Alnwick: Glasper, Robson, Hogg K, Gair, MacPherson, Lowes D, Jackson (Dixon 55’), T. Brown © (Butler 65’), D. Brown, Quinn, Riddell (Moore 65’)