Stobswood United 2-8 Hexham (5th November 2011)

A break from Northern Alliance fixtures this week as Hexham went into the pot for the NFA Minor Cup. This competition brings teams from the Alliance, Tyneside Amatuer, North Northumberland and Christian Fellowship League so it’s a real mix of teams with facilities and a large range of abilities. Hexham pulled out of the hat Stobswood Utd who last season played as Lynemouth Anglers but have moved to Stobswood to take advantage of the excellent facilities at the Welfare ground. With a number of games postponed due to heavy overnight rain the Welfare pitch got the go ahead but had the downpour continued this would also have been in doubt. The pitch was heavy and very treacherous for the players and cut up very easily. Early in the game it was evident Hexham had the upper hand as the kept the ball well and stretched the North Northumberland side across the pitch and on thirteen minutes Neil Tiffin got his first goal of the season latching on to a loose ball in the box after a corner. That did not open the floodgates and all Hexham had to show for their pressure was a good effort from Mark Gibson before. Keeper Dave Anderson mainly had tidying up duties to perform but he pull off a top class save after twenty five minutes palming away a dipping corner which was creeping in. In the five minutes before the break Stobswood crumbled as Mark Gibson got his reward for his earlier effort when he converted after Thomas North played him in. Then it was a family affair as Scott Robson drilled the ball across the box and brother Michael following in managed to get something onto it. Despite his after match claims there was some doubt if in fact he knew much about it before it crossed the line. Bang on the whistle for the break Thomas North completed the scoring finishing off an excellent run completing a Hexham blitz of three goals in four minutes.

After the break Hexham went to sleep and were not the same outfit which crushed their hosts at the end of the first half and this allowed Stobswood time on the ball and let them produce the type of football which has taken them to fourth place in division one of the North Northumberland League. Just after the hour Stobswood got a reward for their improved performance with a well drilled shot and only five minutes after that an un marked striker had all the time in the world to reduce the arrears to two goals. That set the alarm bells ringing on the Hexham bench as Stobswood visibly were growing in stature and confidence as the second half continued. The next goal was vital but Hexham had to regain control in the middle of the park to stop the supply to the front men. Neil Tiffin and Michael Robson started to regain control and gradually the match swung back into the grasp of the Alliance side. Scott Robson got the decisive goal after seventy five minutes; this was a well worked goal with Orin Parkinson playing a major part. Parkinson brought the ball out of defence combining with Robson before Scott blasted the ball into the net This finished of the home side and Hexham went on to score another three in the half to reproduce their first half performance. Leading scorer Liam Heenan got another two to take his tally for the season to twelve, the first a real strikers goal taking a half chance but his second was the best coolly rounding the goal keeper when it looked like his first touch had taken it from his control. Sandwiched in between Liam’s goals was an excellent solo effort from Thomas North who took on two defenders and beat them before crossing low and hard into the area before it struck a defender and went past the keeper. Technically an own goal but no one suggested taking it off him after the match. Hexham could have had more as Orin Parkinson produced a tremendous run from wing back and shooting from thirty plus yards out only to see his shot hit the crossbar with the keeper beaten. Orin had to be content with a couple of assists to show for a very good performance but today no one was taking the man of the match away from Thomas North. The draw takes place this week for the third round and there will be much sterner opposition awaiting the Tynedale outfit as the competition reaches the last thirty two.

Wideopen 2-4 Hexham (12 Nov 2011)

Over the seasons Lockley Park home of Wideopen has been a sparse hunting ground for the players from the Tyne Valley. Really Hexham have saved up some horrific performances in years past but this season that hoodoo has been firmly laid to rest. Instead a solid team effort despite missing several regular players but the strength in depth of the squad was proven once again. The teams around them all gained maximum points so these points may prove important later in the season. Neil Tiffin got the show on the road when he fired in from the edge of the area when a corner was not cleared and he was prowling eighteen yards out after twenty two minutes. The game up to that point had been nip and tuck so Neil’s second goal in his last two games game his side a well timed lift. Only eight minutes after the breakthrough leading Hexham marksman Liam Heenan got his first goal of two in the match. Again Tiffin had a part in this goal playing a ball into space behind the defenders and Heenan was onto it before shooting past Wideopen keeper Iain Gray as he came off his line. Hexham went into the break with a two goal advantage and were worth this lead but in the second half they had to snuff out the threat of ex Hexham junior Andrew Bruce who this season is turning out for the Newcastle side. Andrew was having an excellent game and Wideopen were using him whenever possible so that is where the danger lay.

A change of tactics to combat Bruce and understandably tired legs meant that Andrew was not as effective as he was in the opening half. The goal which effectively secured the points for Hexham came from an Alistair Stobbs free kick when he fired a low shot across the area and into the far corner of the net. Wideopen got a goal back only three minutes after that strike but maters were to get worse for Hexham as Tom Hacking collided with the post trying to save the shot and suffered a nasty cut on his leg and was unable to carry on. Scott Robson came on and settled into the defence to cover for Hacking and Hexham tried to close the game down with some more changes in personnel. Neil Tiffin already had the MotM in his pocket when he created the second goal of the day for Liam Heenan. Again from a corner when Wideopen did not clear their lines with sufficient distance he found that little bit of space behind the defence. The defenders were moving out and could not turn quickly enough and Heenan took his opportunity to score his fourteenth goal of the season with twenty minutes left on the clock. Wideopen were not finished and they pulled one more back after eighty minutes but there was more than a suspicion that the ball had crossed the by line before being pulled back across the goal to be converted. That was the last scare for Hexham and could have increased their lead when Stobbs shaved the cross bar with a stinging drive and Stephen Brown was unlucky when he floated an effort towards the back post after a corner. Three points were very welcome especially on a historically difficult venue but once the threat of Bruce was annulled and the visitor’s midfield took a grip the result was never in doubt

Hexham 3-1 New Fordley (19-Nov-11)

November has been a good month for Northern Alliance Hexham with two wins and a draw in all competitions. In fact the last time they suffered a defeat was when first division Cramlington Town were at the Wentworth in the Bill Gardner Trophy in mid October. The opponents on Saturday was New Fordley who inflicted Hexham’s only league defeat all season when a below par Hexham lost two late goals to lose 2-3 back in early September. So revenge was in the air from the first whistle and almost immediately Ali Stobbs used his power and pace to break through the defence and round the keeper only to see his effort cleared by a defender tracking back. That set the tone for the first half with Hexham dominating but never really causing the visitors any real problems with a real lack of goal scoring opportunities. New Fordley have had a big change in personnel since the match earlier in the season with no less than seven changes to the starting eleven and more on the bench. This new side were playing well and were restricting Hexham to midfield possession and not getting forward to get a strike on goal.

It was in fact twenty four minutes before Hexham managed to get an attempt on the New Fordley goal. This came when Ali Stobbs got on the end of a Thomas North cross, but his glancing header went past the far post. Stephen Brown and Paul McLean had a couple of chances that went begging before the tables were turned completely. The visitors had not bothered Hexham Keeper Dave Anderson much but he had to pick the ball out of the net on the half hour mark after a Lee Waugh penalty. Hexham could have no complaints on the decision as it looked a clear push in the box which gave Cumbrian match official Graham Kirkpatrick an easy decision to make. It was important that the home side pick themselves up and get back into the game as quickly as possible, this they did with midfield man Neil Tiffin scoring his third goal in the last three games. It started with a teasing ball into the danger area by Orin Parkinson and with defenders hesitating Tiffin reacted first and Hexham were back on level terms two minutes after going behind. With the momentum with Hexham they struck again before the break when Ali Stobbs converted a Thomas North cross, again Ali using his strength to good advantage. With the break looming Hexham looked comfortable but they could have ended the half level as Louis Boddy missed a golden opportunity to put his side level.
Second half was similar to the first Hexham dominating without finishing their opponents off until deep into the second half. The goal that ended the match as a contest came from the second penalty award of the day. This decision was even easier than the first for referee Kirkpatrick when Liam Heenan was tripped by goal keeper Daniel Mullen as Heenan slipped the ball past him. The only question was would it be yellow or red? As Liam was adjudged to be going away from the goal a yellow card was brandished. Paul McLean made sure New Fordley was punished by dispensing the spot kick low to the keeper’s right hand side. Hexham are now in fourth place in the division tying for third with Wallsend BC only on goal difference and one of the main reasons for this is the strength in depth on the bench,