Newton Aycliffe’s playoff push continues. They sit fourth with just three games remaining of the season. Their last home game sees the visit of second place Dunston on Easter Monday (21st) at 1pm.
Before that, Brian Atkinson’s side make the long trip down to second bottom Sherwood Colliery on Saturday before ending the season at fellow strugglers Ossett on 26th April. Cleethorpes Town have already been crowned champions. The teams in 2nd to 5th place will playoff for the remaining promotion place.
5th April – Newton Aycliffe 0 v North Ferriby 0
Not since April 2022 had Aycliffe recorded a goalless draw, which was at home to Whickham. This was a game characterised by few concrete chances for both sides in a cagey encounter which probably saw Ferriby prefer leaving with one point opposed to none as they chased the playoffs.
12th April – Newton Aycliffe 4 v Heaton Stannington 0
Heaton Stannington’s main task is to avoid falling into the final relegation spot, and their afternoon probably couldn’t have started any worse when Leighton Hopper was judged to have elbowed Jake Petitjean and promptly sent off in just twelve minutes. In the 17th minute, Ethan Wood’s corner was whipped in with velocity and found Petitjean, Heaton’s Lewis Brass touched the ball, but his grip wasn’t sufficient to hold the ball making it 1-0. The second goal also had Brass at fault, when his poor clearance was booted straight into Jack Clarkson, while Brass initially denied Clarkson, the ball found its way to Liam Adamson who wasted no time in making it 2-0. Half time saw the referee dismiss Brass for dissent. The second half saw Dean Thexton make it 3-0 when he emphatically fired home at close range, and the points were sealed when Petitjean got his brace via a penalty in the 90th minute, his 21st goal of the league season.
Match report by Ryan Livingston. Photo by Yvonne Wood: Alex Nelson & Ryan Lincoln Barrow in action against Heaton Stannington.