SHANKHOUSE 3 ALNWICK TOWN 5

Well if you  five minutes late for this game you would have missed two early goals for the home side as Alnwick were shell shocked in conceding the first on 1 min 30 seconds as Alnwick had there usual slow start and were punished, the first through slack marking and failing to clear there lines.

The second goal came on 3 mins a long throw in to the box was flicked on and duly smashed home from six yards out.

 Alnwick could have collapsed after the early set back but there attitude was  fantastic as they clawed there way back in to the game and Kevin Elliot was the first to test the home keeper with a 25 yard effort which was tipped over the baron 12 mins. Alnwick reduced the deficit on 20 mins Richard Brown getting on the end of a cross and flicking a header over the keeper.

Alnwick were level on 30mins a Scott McMullen corner was met by centre half Mark Batson who powered home an unstoppable header in to the roof of the net .

Alnwick were playing by far the better football in the strong wind and went in front on 40 mins McMullen again delivering a corner to the near post this time, Rich Brown was on hand to turn the ball in to the net from close range and give Alnwick an interval lead.

You would have thought Alnwick would have learnt there lesson from the slow first half start but Shankhouse equalised on 47 mins although the shot took a deflection and looped over Alnwick keeper Brookes.

Shankhouse could have taken the lead moments later as they broke clear but were denied by some last ditch defending and a goal mouth scramble.

Like the first half and a needy wake up call Alnwick again settled down and played some good football, they regained the lead o 70 mins A Neil Catlow cross was punched in to the path of Neil Jefferson to head in to the empty net and score his first goal for the club.

Alnwick brought on Ben Keenan for the last ten minutes and the forward got to the by line and squared the ball in to the path of Tony Brown to score his 14^th goal of the season and seal the win.

No one could have predicted the score after the first five minutes of this game but Alnwick settled down and carried a little bit of luck for a change and more than deserved the three points on the day. A special word for the referee Tom Davie and his two linesmen who handled the game exceptionally well

Pizza Royale Man of the Match:Richard Brown

Team:  B Brooks, D Lowes, N Catlow, M Batson, B Murray, S McMullen, K Elliot,

           C Moffett, T Brown, N Jefferson, B Keenan, G Patterson, D Kennedy,

           M Cockburn