Clinical Lang Jacks back to winning ways

Whickham returned to winning ways with a hard-fought win against West Auckland Town on Tuesday evening. WRITES CHRIS MILLS.

Scott Robson opened the scoring in the first half and new signing Garon Garside grabbed a goal on his debut after the break.

The three points see Whickham climb to 3rd in the league table with a game in hand on league leaders Newton Aycliffe.

The first chance of the game was for the south Durham side as a corner swung in to meet the head of Liam Potter however it was out just over.

A minute later Whickham took the lead as Scott Robson as he was slipped through by Nathan Greenwood and he calmly placed his finish into the bottom corner.

Half an hour in, Nathan Harker pulled off a fine acrobatic save from a Danni Lay header, which was the first of many on the night.

Just before the break Jordan Blinco was on the end of a lucky bounce on the edge of the Whickham penalty area but his shot was saved by a smart stop from Harker.

After the break Reece Noble shot from close distance however a fine reflex stop from the former Newcastle United youth team player denied him.

Shay Richardson had the first Lang Jacks’ chance of the half as he came onto the ball on the edge of the area but his shot was saved by the legs of Matthew Wilkinson.

Another corner cashed an issue fo Whickham as a header forced Harker to save at full stretch.

Just before the hour mark the game was wrapped up as new signing Garon Garside scored on his debut after a shot from the edge of the box took a deflection and nestled into the bottom corner.

A cross, i think, from Kaleb Young then went deep and left the goalkeeper flat-footed as it hit off the bar and almost extended our lead.

Another chance came our way as Scott Robson went one-on-one however forced a good stop from Wilkinson down to his right.

The final big chance of the game was the pick of the bunch of Nathan Harker’s catalogue of saves as he acrobatically tipped Jordan Blinco’s venomous effort into the bar which rounded off his man of the match performance.

Whickham team: Harker, Howard, Moody, Young (Below 75’), Garside, Agnew (C), Smith, Richardson, S.Robson, Greenwood (Hall 80’), Priest.

Subs not used: Collins, Peareth, Bewicke.

Goalscorers: S. Robson 6′, Garside 56′

Man of the Match: Nathan Harker

Referee: Alex Bourner