Jubilee fight back to secure first away win of season

HALTWHISTLE JUBILEE 4

NORTHERN Alliance Premier Division side Haltwhistle Jubilee finally secured their first away win of the season at the 10th time of asking.

But they did it the hard way by overturning a two-goal deficit against Third Division hosts Heddon United at Walbottle Academy on Saturday to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Bill Gardner Cup.

Heddon came flying out the blocks and soon had the visitors on the back foot, with keeper Thomas Craney doing well to block Michael Wright's shot in a one-on-one, before diving low to his left to palm away Kai Gibson's goal bound header.

The hosts' bright start was rewarded on seven minutes when centre forward Michael Wright put them in front. A ball over the top saw Wright get the better of centre half Lewis Furness before guiding a right-footed effort beyond Craney into the top right corner of the net (1-0).

Continuing to press, one of full-back Matteo Yovogan's trademark long throws into the box brushed off a defender's head and had to be tipped over the bar by Craney for the first of two corners in quick succession, a low ball across the six-yard box was scrambled clear by a defender under pressure from Wright, and a defender's back header from home keeper Jake Baird's long clearance kick just reached Craney before winger Phil Robson got there.

All the momentum was with Heddon at this stage and they deservedly doubled the lead on 17 minutes when a corner on the right, taken short by Robson, was knocked into the six-yard box for an unmarked Connor Tynan to slot home (2-0).

An upset looked on the cards, but to their credit the visitors rallied and against all the odds were back on level terms within three minutes.

After winning back possession 30 yards out, the ball was slipped in behind for winger Dan Alderson who beat the offside trap before firing over Baird into the top left corner (2-1).

Baird was beaten again just two minutes later when full-back Ryan MacNeil's deep cross from the left touchline saw winger Archie White rise highest at the back post to head home (2-2).

Soon after the equaliser, MacNeil's long-range effort flew straight into the arms of Baird and a slick break down the left culminated in another dangerous cross from MacNeil finding its way to fellow full-back Jake Reed who lashed a first-time effort just over the bar.

MacNeil's next cross from the same flank was knocked towards goal by centre forward George Priest with Baird diving low to his right to keep it out, and, from the resulting corner, the ball was eventually scrambled clear after a close-range header hit the post.

Although the game swung from end-to-end in the closing 15 minutes of the half, the only meaningful action for either keeper came when Owen Murtough's 20-yard strike was saved by Baird.

In contrast to the opening period, Haltwhistle started the second on the front foot and twice came close to taking the lead inside the first five minutes.

Priest's 25-yard free-kick delivery bounced just in front of the diving Baird and was pushed past the post. The resulting corner dropped at the feet of White inside the six-yard box, but he couldn't find the target, a close-range follow-up effort was blocked, and Lewis Loughhead's second corner flashed across the face of goal without getting a touch.

At the other end, Heddon's first chance of the half on 51 minutes saw Tynan's powerful right-footed strike on the angle palmed away by Craney.

The hosts dealt with two corners in quick succession on the hour mark, but a lapse in concentration at the back five minutes later saw them go behind for the first time in the match when a routine through ball saw Priest get the wrong side of his marker before coolly slotting past Baird from close range to take his seasonal tally in all competitions to eight (2-3).

Soon after the re-start on a rare foray upfield down the left flank, Heddon winger Tynan's long range angled strike was tipped over the bar by Craney but referee David McCallum, who had otherwise kept the game flowing at every opportunity, decided to award a goal-kick instead of a corner.

It wasn't long before normal service resumed as chances came thick and fast for the Haltwhistle forwards.

Second half substitute Olly Pearson's shot was blocked by Baird in a one-on-one, with the resulting corner cleared off the line. Priest's low drive from outside the box flew past a static Baird before hitting the outside of the post, and, after shaking off his marker, Kurtis Harvey put Alderson clean through, but another great block by Baird rescued the situation.

The visitors finally made their relentless pressure count with a fourth goal on 80 minutes from Kurtis Harvey.

He met a pinpoint MacNeil corner on the edge of the six-yard box with a downward header which went through a defender's legs on the line to make it two goals in as many games for the experienced midfielder (2-4).

As full-time approached, Baird could only parry a shot into the path of White who kept his composure and fired home, but the goal was chalked off by an offside flag.

Liam Duffy's promotion-chasing Heddon United side can hold their heads up high after giving Premier Division opposition a real fright in an entertaining cup-tie.

Haltwhistle's reward is a home tie in the quarter-finals against another Third Division side Ellington Development who are the lowest ranked team left in the competition.