TERRIERS DOMINATE BUT FAIL TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
By Dave Anderson

Bedlington Terriers inconsistent form continued on Saturday, as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against hosts Billingham Synthonia at their Central Avenue ground, despite dominating possession for much of the game. This result meant they lost further ground on their stated target of finishing in the top 6 this season, and the Terriers management will be seeking a quick solution to this unpredictable form, so that they can get their season back on track.

Yet it had started so positively for the visitors, as they had a number of early attacks which kept the Synners on the back foot. In only the third minute, Shandran had a chance which the host’s keeper only just blocked with his legs, gratefully grasping at the second attempt. Only a desperate clearance after a goalmouth scramble saved Synners after the quarter hour mark, when a cross to the far post from the left wing caused panic in the home defence.

However, the failure to convert possession into a goal was punished when Synners took the lead with their first attack on note in the 20th minute. And yet again the Terriers’ inability to cope with a cross from the right was clinically punished, when Magowan was allowed a free header when he stole between Christensen and Hedley to despatch into the corner past a helpless Newton.

Bedlington strove to get back on level terms, and within minutes Chapman saw a free kick eventually be returned to his feet. His 20 yard drive flew just wide of the upright. McAlindon then tried his luck from 25 yards, but his effort went over the bar.

As the visitors continued to dominate without reward, Synners promptly went up the other end and doubled their lead on 35 minutes. However, Synners winger Danny Earl looked clearly offside when he burst clear on goal, and although Newton got a touch on the forward’s strike, it wasn’t enough to stop the ball going into the net.

For all their pretty play, and knocking the ball about the pitch, the Terriers efforts had provided no reward, whereas the hosts had barely raised more than two attacks and had two goals to show for it. It seemed that despite playing a positive 4-3-3 formation, leading scorer Tony Shandran was increasingly isolated and did not see nearly enough of the ball as a player of his pedigree would want.

Bedlington came out of the blocks after the restart, and in the 48th minute the ball was played into Shandran, who neatly laid off into the path of Bowey. As the Terriers skipper burst through, he hit a low shot which went agonisingly wide of the right hand upright. A minute later, Shandran received possession wide right, cutting into the area before seeing his chipped cross almost turned into his own net by a Synners defender.

In truth though, after this initial burst of activity, the Terriers rarely seriously threatened the host’s goal in the remainder of the second half. The game did pick up when the visitors made a double change with 18 minutes remaining, with Johnson and Elliott replaced McAlindon and Phillipson respectively, and the formation reverted to a more familiar 4-4-2. Johnson in particular looked very lively and perhaps made a point to the Bedlington management that he was worth more time on the pitch.

Other than an Elliott shot from 22 yards which saw Synners keeper Porter produce a ‘save for the cameras’, the Terriers never again looked like they were going to find a breakthrough, for all their possession. The hosts were happy to keep men behind the ball, and allow the Terriers to knock the ball about in midfield as they probed for a chink in the armour.

So continues a frustrating run for the Terriers, as the inability to put a run of positive results together has seen them slip to a mid-table position in the past 2 months. They return to Teesside this Saturday, with Billingham Town the opponents this time. The Terriers beat this opposition 5-1 at Welfare Park in August, and will be hoping to secure the double over a team which has lost their last 3 league games. Following this, the rescheduled Tynetec Northumberland Senior Cup quarter-final tie against Ashington is finally due to take place at Welfare Park on the following Wednesday (9th December).