Last updated 17:34, Thursday, 21 August 2008

After a promising opening day win, Stocksfield travelled to Gateshead to take on Rutherford.

Gateshead Rutherford 0, Stocksfield 2.

It has been suggested the Gateshead based side are paying some players Northern League money, so the Stocksfield squad felt they would have a very tough game ahead of them.

Last season’s top scorer Phil Murray missed out so Ben Pearson was promoted into the attack and Tom Maskell replaced Sandy Tordoff at right-back.

Stocksfield almost caught Rutherford napping in the opening minutes when an explosive run from Andy Lowdon almost resulted in a dream start.

After pulling one shot narrowly wide, moments later Lowdon hit a cross shot which also went just wide.

Stocksfield continued to dominate the early exchanges with Beresford showing his pace before dragging a shot agonisingly wide of the far post.

The home side enjoyed some good possession but lacked any quality upfront and due to some resilient defending they were restricted to a couple of long range efforts which drifted wide of Little’s goal.

Maskell and Brown were looking particularly solid at full-back and Stocksfield seemed to have defensive steel about them rarely seen before.

A good break down the left resulted in Paddy Finnerty releasing Pearson who whipped a ball into the area but Beresford couldn’t direct his header t.

Link up on the edge of the area between Beresford and Vause resulted in the former back-heeling the ball into the path of Pearson but some good defending from the home side prevented a clean strike on goal.

Stocksfield probably shaded the first half, but it was goalless.

The second half started with Vause winning the ball in midfield and releasing Maskell, who carried the ball up the wing before slipping it to Pearson but he hammered his effort over the bar.

Rutherford then began to enjoy some good possession and some saving tackles from Johnson and Hudspith ensured the score stayed level.

Just when Stocksfield thought they had weathered the storm the referee awarded a penalty after the ball had struck Johnson’s back.

Little made a superb save diving low to his left as Stocksfield felt justice had been done.

This proved to be a real turning point in the game and inspired the Stocksfield team to go on and win the game.

Beresford again showed great pace to get away from his marker and found himself clean through on goal.

Despite the covering defender pulling at his shirt, he got a good shot away but it flew over the bar.

More tireless work from Beresford ended up with him driving a low cross across the face of goal as Rutherford escaped again.

The game was delayed while Kettles received treatment for a nasty cut to his head but he showed grit and determination to battle on.

Stocksfield snatched the lead with 25 minutes to go when a quick throw from Lowdon found Beresford.

He skipped past his marker and his deflected cross fell to Pearson, who hit the ball low and through the keeper’s legs to open the scoring.

Little kept the score intact when he came charging out of his area and smothered the ball at the feet of a running midfielder.

Stocksfield got the killer second goal when Beresford and Pearson combined in a carbon copy of the first goal.

The away side could have added a third when Vause picked the ball up in midfield and found Lowdon with a great cross field pass.

Lowdon beat his man and hit a deep cross which Vause almost turned in after the keeper spilled the ball.

Rutherford tried hard to get a goal that would have set up a grandstand finish but Stocksfield defended extremely well despite a couple of panicky moments from Johnson.

Stocksfield had many good performances, Johnson and Hudspith in defence, Brown and Maskell at full-backs and the midfield pair of Kettles and Vause who did a lot of running.

The best performance was from Dan Beresford who was simply magnificent upfront. He ran his socks off, chased lost causes into good balls, caused havoc with his pace and despite not finding the back of the net he created both goals for his strike partner.