The Two Blues: Bishop Auckland FC (FM 14)

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Once upon a time, not too many years ago, there was a Golden Age of Football Manager dynasties on the FOFC board. This Golden Age was fading somewhat by the time I joined the forum, but a fortuitous search uncovered a number of great stories from days of yore.

Several of these classic tales told the stories of doughty little English clubs, doing battle in the eighth or ninth levels of their nation's football pyramids, clubs like Diss Town and Odd Down. I enjoy playing FM with small clubs like these, where I can immerse myself in a microcosmic world of football without famous names and real reputations to connect me with the "real" sport.

FC Santa Claus is a fairly big team, by Finnish standards. Their wage budget is a good deal higher than the clubs in the County Leagues of England. Managing Santa feels more like leading a medium-sized club and, while I enjoy it, I miss the vibe of a really small team. Even Kendal Town, whom I wrote about earlier this spring, is a bit bigger club than I'm talking about here. I'll keep my Santa Claus game/dynasty going--it's a lot of fun--but I want to add a second game/story to my playlist, too.

The database I'm using includes nine levels of English football, down to the County Leagues. I'm going to manage in Level Nine. I chose my team using a completely unscientific, somewhat convoluted system, including criteria such as these:

• kit colors--combinations I think look cool; not red, since that's what Santa Claus wear. Extra points for a nifty badge. My daughters, ages 8 and 5, offered invaluable insights here.
• team name--the more quintessentially English it sounds, the better.
• grounds name--again, if the name conjures up an image of a place where an English club would play, that's a plus.
• a lack of "history" on the FOFC forum--if I could identify a club as having been the subject of a previous story, it's eliminated.

The winner is: Bishop Auckland Football Club.

The Bishops, or the Two Blues, were founded in 1886 by theological students from Cambridge and Oxford who were studying at the castle of the Bishop of Durham. (The "Bishop" half of the town of Bishop Auckland's name refers to the fact that the bishop made his residence there.) The students chose the light blue of Cambridge and the dark blue of Oxford for their club colors.

After playing for over a century at the Kingsway ground, Bishops moved to Heritage Park in 2010.

Bishop Auckland compete in the Northern League Division One. Division One contains 24 teams, and only the league champion will be promoted to the Regional First Divisions. If Bishops are relegated, they'll be lost in an unknown world...I have no idea what I'd do as the manager of a club without a home in the database. I'd probably be sacked for poor performance, anyway.

I'm hoping to have a good, long run at Heritage Park, and I'm hoping to enjoy writing about my experiences there, too. Hopefully some of you will find the story engaging enough to follow. Please feel very free to comment! I enjoy interacting with any readers I have.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

4 July 2013

The first thing I noticed when I looked at the Bishop Auckland squad was the fact that almost half of the club's £431/week wage budget was going to only two players, both of them strikers. Darren Griffiths (£110/week) and Callum Baker (£80/week) are the big earners, and unless they're going to produce like a pair of Messis, they're probably not worth the percentage of the budget they're soaking up. I'd prefer to be able to spread the money around a little more evenly. A bigger club is already showing interest in Griffiths, and I'd be willing to listen to a decent offer.

Most of the staff I inherited will be sticking around for now. I can't afford to pay any of them what it would take to release them from their contracts. It's not like there are many better options out there, anyway...with the exception of one bloke who is almost completely unsuitable for his position.

The board let me hire a coach, so I brought one in right away.

Here's my back room staff:

Assistant Manager: Andy Simmonds (age 30)
Coach: Mat Snaith (age 42)
Head of Youth Development: Jimmy Allen (age 48) Jimmy rates a 4 for Working with Youngsters. Guess which staff member is very close to a sacking?
Chief Scout: Adam Gibbons (age 37)
Head Physio: Leon Fisk (age 24)

[BYU 14]

Running a Bishops career in FM15, will be following

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Running a Bishops career in FM15, will be following

Nice! It will be good to have you along for the journey.

I'm using "fake names," and I hope the fact that you won't see recognizable names in my thread won't make it less interesting. I like to create a world without "real" names--partially so I won't be tempted to scour the internet for lists of players I should sign, and partially because I find it easier to immerse myself in the world I'm creating if the characters are mine alone.

Plus, in a "fake names" game, you get Facegen images for everybody at the beginning, and that also helps with the immersion factor.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

15 July 2013

We haven't played our first friendly yet, but I've already been very busy at Heritage Park.

It cost us £1500, or about a quarter of the money in our accounts, but I bought out Jimmy Allen's contract and replaced him with a much better man...and at the same wage we were paying curmudgeonly Jimmy. Welcome to Bishop Auckland, Michael Pattison. Michael, age 49, actually has real skill in working with young footballers.

Center back Peter Sawyer wasn't one of the two biggest earners in the club, but he was #3, with a weekly wage of £55/week. Darlington 1883 came after him, offering us 25% of his next sale price. After looking through scout Adam Gibbons' reports and discovering we could probably sign a player who's just as good as Peter and with a lower wage, I accepted the offer. We'll see Peter later this week, because the Quakers are our first opponent. We might run into him on the way to the bank, where he can deposit his £250/week paycheck.

Sure enough, I was able to sign free agent Scott Lord, age 24, who is basically a quicker version of Sawyer...and at £20/week. '

Veteran striker Phil Booth was the next to leave. He was on £50/week with us, and when South Shields came for him, I decided to see what it would take to keep him around. My gut told me he wasn't worth £120/week, so I let him go to the Mariners on a free. He'll get to play at a higher level, and while he's not making 120 quid a week, his £80/week salary was still more than I was willing to pay him.

I agreed to a deal with Brigg Town for big money man Darren Griffiths, but it fell through when Darren didn't like the wages they were offering. We would have gotten 25% of his next selling price, the same as we'll get for Sawyer. There are still teams flirting with Griffiths, so he might not be wearing a Two Blues shirt much longer.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

17 August 2013

The Northern League Division One season begins today, with Marske United visiting Heritage Park. The team that takes the pitch today will be very different from the one I greeted when I took over the club.

It's hard to stand in the way of a footballer who wants to test his skills at a higher level, and earn more money for doing it. Five of our guys left the club in recent weeks, including Darren Griffiths, who signed for Padiham. The Storks offered us the same deal we got for Peter Sawyer, so we'll get 25% of the price should Padiham sell Griffiths on. The supporters weren't happy with the deal. Hopefully the new players we've brought in will win them over.

I signed 10 of them, which was much more a necessity than a luxury. Here's the club that will represent Bishop Auckland for the 2013/14 season.

Goalkeepers



Normally I'd be concerned about going into a season with two teenage 'keepers, but these lads are mentally tough enough to remain in control, even if they concede a goal or two.

Griffin will be the starter, but Field will get plenty of opportunities to show what he can do, too.


Defenders



Reed will be the first choice on the left, with Casey on the right. Both are well-rounded defenders and Casey, in particular, is sure enough on the ball to contribute to the attack.

Vice captain Lord is tenacious, good in the air, and is capable of doing more than simply booting the ball clear when it comes his way. He'll usually be paired with Pook, a strong, tough, old-fashioned English centre half in the making.

I'd be comfortable with Hunt at either left or centre back. Hughes is a midfielder, but he'd be fine in the back row, too. Most of our depth would have to come from the youth teams.


Midfielders



Don't try to tell me that Lumley has zero value. He's technically adept, versatile, and determined, and he's our first choice on the left flank. Human mosquito Birch will be buzzing along the other side.

Baker is the team's creator, a slick playmaker who knows the game well. He'll be partnered with Hughes, whom I'll expect to drop back and provide solid defensive cover in the middle. Baker was an easy choice for club captain.

Day, and youngsters Forsyth and Gray, can give the side a quick injection of pace. Forsyth is a particularly promising offensive midfielder.


Strikers



I play two strikers almost all the time, so having five of them in the senior team isn't as much of a luxury as it might otherwise seem.

I'm pleased that Baker is still in the team, after several bigger clubs showed interest. He isn't terribly fast, but he's comfortable setting up a teammate or finishing the job himself. Walker is basically Darren Griffiths, only much less expensive.

Petchey has no signature skill, but does almost everything I'd ask of a forward fairly well. Cobb is the fastest of the group, and Gilbert might wear the captain's arm band one day.

There are 24 teams in our league, so many of the screenshots I'll be posting won't include all of them. Hopefully I'll be able to leave off the bottom of the table. According to the pundits, we are the very definition of a mid-table club, which is what our board expect us to be.

We are the youngest team in the league, with an average age of just over 20. As I was looking for players to sign this summer, I chose men who had the best set of attributes for the roles I wanted them to fill, and who would play for the wages I could afford to pay them. In doing so, I've gone against the conventional wisdom, which says that physical prowess--pace and stamina--are the keys to success in the lower leagues. We're possibly going to put a first eleven on the pitch that is slower than any other in the league, but we might have as much technical ability as anyone.

It will either work well, or I'll get sacked. We'll see which it will be.

Oh, and here's our nifty kit.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

17 August 2013

Bishop Auckland v. Marske United
Heritage Park

I couldn't blame the supporters who were sad to see Phil Booth and Darren Griffiths leave the club. They were expected to be a large part of Bishops' offense this season, and the only reasons for their departure were financial.

Hopefully, the fans won't miss them as much after today. New front man Dean Walker scored one goal and set up another as the Two Blues came from behind to defeat Marske United, 2-1.

The Seasiders drew first blood, with Matty Main scoring a highlight-worthy goal against the run of play on 28 minutes. Almost immediately, Bishops drew level, as Walker took Dave Lumley's diagonal pass and sliced it inside Marske keeper Chris Broster's near post.

The scoreline stayed where it was until 86'. Toby Baker muscled David Shepherd off the ball and pushed it ahead to Walker. As Callum Baker began his run, Walker picked him out perfectly, and Callum beat Broster with a rising shot from just inside the area.

It was a Fans' Day at Heritage Park, and the crowd went home happy.

Bishop Auckland 2 (Walker 29, C. Baker 86)
Marske United 1 (Main 28)

Bishops Lineup: Griffin, Casey, Pook, Lord, Reed (Hunt), Birch, T. Baker, Hughes (Forsyth), Lumley, C. Baker, Walker.
Booked: None.

Attendance: 303.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

20 August 2013

Penrith v. Bishop Auckland
World Group Stadium, Penrith

I had to field a rotated squad tonight, since it had been only three days since our last match. Several players were called up from the youth teams to fill in, and I'm happy with their performances. We played tough against a team that won its first match easily, on their ground.

Neither team scored until the hour mark, when some sloppy defensive work from left back Ryan Hunt allowed Penrith forward Kieran Crook to bear down on Steven Griffin and rifle the ball into the net.

We got the equalizer when James Joseph demonstrated his pace by bursting past his marker down the left side. The wide man crossed for Prince Petchel in the area, and Petchel passed across the face of goal to his strike partner, Matt Cobb, for an easy tap-in.

I was satisfied with one point from this match, on a night when neither team could field its usual XI.

Penrith 1 (Crook 60)
Bishop Auckland 1 (Cobb 71)

Bishops Lineup: Griffin, Calvert, Pook, Lord (Oseni), Hunt, Day, Forsyth, Gray, Joseph, Cobb, Petchel (Gilbert).
Booked: None.

Attendance: 87.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 24 August 2013

Bishop Auckland v. Sunderland Ryhope CA
Heritage Park

There was no shortage of action on this warm summer evening at Heritage Park. Our opponent, Sunderland Ryhope CA, looks like a better side than the 150-1 long shot of the media's pre-season prediction.

The Two Blues drew first blood this time. Will Birch played in Callum Baker with a beautiful side-footed pass, and Baker's low drive caromed off the far post and in. We doubled our advantage on an own goal at the 41' mark, but a minute later, the CA clawed one back.

Dave Lumley's impressive right-footed volley of Toby Baker's diagonal pass gave us a 3-1 lead but, again, Sunderland came roaring back. Adrian Bennett crossed for substitute Andy English, who had Joe Field beaten at his right post. As Duncan Casey rushed in to try to clear the ball away, it deflected off the Bishops fullback and into the goal.

The last 20 minutes of the game saw the CA mount several challenges, but they were unable to breach the Bishops' goal, and we came away with a big three points.

Bishop Auckland 3 (C. Baker 20, Newbold (o.g) 41, Lumley 46)
Sunderland Ryhope CA 2 (Browne 42, Casey (o.g) 65)

Bishops lineup: Field, Casey, Pook, Hunt (Oseni), Reed, Birch, T. Baker, Hughes, Lumley, C. Baker, Walker (Petchey).

Booked: Walker.

Attendance: 226.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 31 August 2013

Bishop Auckland (3rd) v. Newcastle Benfield (24th)
Heritage Park

I was generally happy with the makeup of my squad, but there was still one gap I wanted to fill. I like having a defensive midfielder in the team. When I'm not playing my favorite 4-4-2, I sometimes use a 4-1-2-2-1 shape, and I might bring in a DM to replace a forward if I want to protect a lead. There was no natural DM in the club, and only one player--Scott Lord--who could play there at all.

I'm training defender Simon Oseni to play there; Simon's attributes are already a decent fit. In the meantime, I brought in Bill Knight on loan from Stratford Town. Knight, 32, gives us a solid veteran presence, and he can play a variety of holding roles in the middle of the park.

Knight arrived in time to suit up for the Newcastle Benfield match. The Lions were off to a rough start, after having been named among the favorites for promotion in the off-season.

We got off the mark quickly, with a crisp three-pass move--Darren Pook to Dean Walker to Callum Baker, and into the back of the net.

Captain Toby Baker added to the lead on 26', when he struck a 35-yard free kick that bounced past Lions custodian Ian Dean and inside his left post. Callum made it 3-0, muscling Lions centre back Jamie Cowans off the ball and beating the goalie from 17 yards out.

So, thanks to the Baker boys and a solid team effort on defense, the Two Blues coasted to a 3-0 victory that put us top of the league.

Bishop Auckland 3 (C. Baker 3, 39; T. Baker 26)
Newcastle Benfield 0

Bishops lineup: Griffin, Pook, Lord, Hunt (Oseni), Reed, Birch, T. Baker (Forsyth), Hughes (Knight), Lumley, C. Baker, Walker.
Booked: None.

Attendance: 226.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 7 September 2013

Morpeth Town (23rd) v. Bishop Auckland (1st)
Craik Park, Morpeth

I tried our second tactic, a 4-1-2-2-1, against Morpeth Town tonight. I'm not sure if that choice had much to do with the outcome of the match; we got players into decent positions to score, but never managed to convert them. We were superb defensively, preventing the Highwaymen from putting a shot on target all match long.

Our best chances came in the first half. Scott Lord headed Toby Baker's out-swinging corner off the bar, and Dean Walker hit the woodwork with a strike that would have been a Goal of the Year candidate had it gone in. Morpeth couldn't handle Callum Baker, who got past his man on the right flank again and again.

The lowlight of the evening was an injury to goalkeeper Joe Field. He twisted his knee, and will be out of action for about a month. Steven Griffin will have full-time duty in goal while Joe heals up.

The result allowed Billingham Town to take the top spot from us. We're now third, a point behind the leaders and ahead of Consett on goal differential.

Morpeth 0
Bishop Auckland 0

Bishops' Lineup: Field (Griffin), Casey (Hunt), Pook, Lord, Reed, Knight, T. Baker (Forsyth), Hughes, C. Baker, Lumley, Walker.
Booked: None.

Attendance: 95.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Tuesday, 10 September
FA Vase, Second Round

Epsom & Ewell v. Bishop Auckland
Merland Rise, Tadworth

Tonight we were off to Surrey to face Epsom & Ewell in the FA Vase competition. The E's are in the lower half of the Combined Counties Premier table, but they're a decent side who had been on a run of bad form.

I did something dumb; I scheduled a friendly between our Under 21s and our Under 18s for today, which meant I didn't have any of the kids available for the match that really mattered. I noticed it several game days earlier, but I couldn't cancel it, perhaps because it was an intra-squad friendly.

We got on the scoreboard first, through an own goal that could easily have been credited to Prince Petchey. He took a pass from Toby Baker and placed a beautiful shot that E's goalkeeper Gary Solly would never have touched, but a desperate defender slid in and knocked the ball over the line.

The Prince played superbly tonight. Twice he played in Matt Cobb for chances Cobb could (should?) have converted. Had he done so, even once, the outcome of the match would have been far different.

Our scouting report on Epsom & Ewell said they were dangerous on set pieces, so we gave extra time to defending them in our match prep. The E's scored off a free kick anyway, so I suppose the report was accurate.

We had a very good chance to end the match in the closing moments, but Solly saved from Dave Lumley, and on to extra time we went. That was the last thing we needed, as our fixture list is about to get congested.

The home side turned up the pressure in extra time, and Steven Griffin rose to the occasion with two big saves. We gifted the E's a chance to win the match on 109 minutes, when a lazy pass from Will Birch gave them the ball and a dumb foul by Darren Pook gave them a free kick from 25 yards out. Fortunately for us, Sam Urry hit the bar.

Gary Solly emerged as the hero of the night when he swatted away Birch's penalty. E's right back Paul Walker stepped up and converted his spot kick, and the E's secured the tie.

The board expected us to reach the Fourth Round, but they seem to understand that we drew a fairly tough opponent, one who'd be tough to beat on their ground. We controlled the game well, with 58% of the ball and 12 shots to their 7, but we didn't take advantage of our best opportunities to win.

Epsom & Ewell 1 (Hannides 45)
Bishop Auckland 1 (Downing (o.g) 22)
Epsom & Ewell win on penalties, 5-3.

Bishops' Penalties: Scored- Baker, Lumley, Forsyth. Missed- Birch.

Bishops' lineup: Griffin, Birch, Hughes, Pook, Hunt, T. Baker, Knight (Gray), Forsyth, Lumley, Cobb, Petchey (Walker).
Booked: Pook.

Attendance: 101

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 14 September 2013

Bishop Auckland (2nd) v. South Shields (15th)
Heritage Park

Our unbeaten streak in league play came to an end today, in a match we never looked much like winning. We only tested their keeper once, and it wasn't much of a threat.

South Shields' manager Billy Carpenter didn't elect to play former Bishops front man Phil Booth, who has yet to score in the league. His replacement, teenager Joseph Hunt, got the game's only goal when he slipped past Darren Pook, put Steven Griffin on the wrong foot, and rolled it in for one of the easiest scores he'll ever enjoy.

I'm going to give Pook a break from the first team. He's struggled a bit in his last two appearances.

I called a few of our guys up from the Under 21s to fill out our bench, since we had some regulars who were still very tired from our last match. Midfielder Colin Collantine made his senior bow, coming in as a sub.

Whitley Bay defeated Billingham Town, so those two clubs are level on 12 points at the top of the table. We could have gone top with a win, but instead, we're among three teams on 11 points.

Richard Stockley, a goalkeeper for our Under 21 side who's been dressing as Griffin's backup, turned down two contract offers to remain with us. Good on you, Richard.

Bishop Auckland 0
South Shields 1 (Hunt 81)

Bishops' lineup: Griffin, Casey, Lord, Pook, Reed, Day (Gilbert), T. Baker (Collantine), Hughes, Lumley, C. Baker, Walker.
Booked: None.

Attendance: 230.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

Consett (5th) v. Bishop Auckland (6th)
Durham County FA HQ, Chester-le-Street

After Sunday, all the teams in our league have played 6 matches, so the table sorted itself out a little. We're tied with Consett on points, a goal behind them in differential. They've been exceptionally difficult to score against, conceding only three goals in league play. Both teams are equally gassed, having played on Saturday and the previous Wednesday.

I rotated our lineup quite a bit. I'd prefer not to have to do this, away to a good team, but too many of our lads weren't as fit as I like my starters to be. The injury risk isn't worth it. Consett manager Alex Holt approached the match the same way.

We won an action-filled contest, 3-2, with Prince Petchey playing a role in all three of our goals.

The Prince set up Callum Baker for an easy tap-in at the 20' mark. After a scramble in front of our goal resulted in the ball bouncing off Jordan Reed and into the net to level the score, Baker caught the Steelmen's back line napping and lofted it over the top for Petchey to run onto and blast home.

Consett came back, beating Steven Griffin on a rather audacious strike from 25 yards out. Then, on 78 minutes, it was Petchey again--this time, he hammered a free kick off the crossbar, and substitute left back Craig Calvert played the carom into the net for the match-winner. The Prince now has four assists in four appearances for the Two Blues.

Colin Collantine and James Joseph came up from the U21s to start the match, and Ray Mullen, 16, made his senior debut.


Consett 2 (Reed (o.g.) 55, Newton 72)
Bishop Auckland 3 (C. Baker 20, Petchey 66, Calvert 78)

Bishops' Lineup: Griffin, Mullen, Oseni, Hunt, Reed (Calvert), Birch, Knight, Collantine, Joseph, Petchey, C. Baker (Fleming).
Booked: None.

Attendance: 46.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 21 September 2013

Bishop Auckland (2nd) v. Newton Aycliffe (23rd)
Moore Lane Park, Newton Aycliffe

It didn't take a tactical genius to predict what Newton Aycliffe might do tonight. They've been playing a quick-passing, incisive style, but they departed from that style against us, big time. They found a big bus, parked it, and sat behind the wheel to see if we could get around/over/through it.

Our scouting report indicated they might be vulnerable to an attack down their right flank, so I instructed the team to exploit it. And that's where the game's only goal was created. It took 82 minutes, but finally Jordan Reed dribbled along the line to the corner and crossed to the near post. Matt Cobb, who is not particularly known for aerial prowess, rose up and headed the ball across Mark Robinson's goal and in.

We were well into the second half before we had our first shot, so tightly packed were Aycliffe's defenders. I resisted the temptation to blast away at them with an attacking style, and this time it paid off in three points.

Kudos to Reed, who played well at left midfielder, moving up when I subbed out Dave Lumley, who suffered a knock just past the hour mark. Dave will be fine, however, and we'll need him. Next up is Billingham Town, and it's at their place.

Newton Aycliffe 0
Bishop Auckland 1 (Cobb 82)

Bishops' Lineup: Griffin, Casey, Lord, Pook, Reed, C. Baker, T. Baker, Hughes (Forsyth), Lumley (Hunt), Cobb, Walker.
Booked: Hughes.

Attendance: 111.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 28 September 2013

Billingham Town (15 pts, 3rd) v. Bishop Auckland (17 pts, 1st)
The Ron Grieg Stadium, Billington

This week, our scout found a player I decided I needed to have in a Bishop Auckland shirt. He's what passes for a "cultured midfielder" at our level, and because he's a free agent, in his mid-20s, and lacks pace, he was willing to accept a very reasonable salary to join us.

His name is Terry Brodie. He's 25, and he can play M(C) or AM(C). His touch on the ball is superb for our league, whether he's delivering a cross, hitting a dead ball, or challenging a defender with a dribble. He's also an excellent distributor, able to deliver a variety of passes with precision. He's comfortable as either an advanced playmaker or a defensive midfielder, so he's a very good fit for our team in a tactical sense.

Terry is slow...goalkeeper slow, old geezer slow...and that's possibly what has kept other clubs from taking a chance on him. For £25/week, I'll take my chances.

Brodie made his debut tonight at Billingham Town. I expected a tightly contested match; I wasn't at all prepared for what ensued.

Ten minutes in, Prince Petchey played a one-two with Dave Lumley, nodding Lumley's cross in at the near post for our first goal.

Within twenty minutes, we were ahead 4-0, scoring three times in rapid succession. Lumley obviously admired Petchey's goal so much that he emulated it, only his came from Brodie's cross on the other side of the field. Four minutes later, Petchey took a pass from Callum Baker and found himself with a gaggle of defenders nearby...and an unmarked Lumley, happily racing toward the goal to his left. Before the defense could recover, the Prince slipped it to Lumley, who easily slotted home. On the half hour mark, Will Birch's cross bounced off defender Michael Steel for an own goal.

Our final goal came late in the match, a series of passes setting up substitute Dean Walker for a powerful finish.

Lumley, with two goals, an assist, and a 9.5 rating, was Man of the Match, but the entire side played well. Josh Hughes and Ryan Hunt worked well as a center-back pairing, controlling the air and breaking up attacks with timely interceptions.

Life's good in Bishop Auckland tonight. We're top of the league, three points clear, with every club having played nine league matches.

Bishop Auckland 5 (Petchey 10; Lumley 22, 26; Steel (o.g.) 30; Walker 88.
Billington Town 0

Bishops' Lineup: Griffin, Casey, Hughes, Hunt, Reed, Birch, T. Baker (Forsyth), Brodie (Pook), Lumley, C. Baker, Petchey (Walker).
Booked: None.

Attendance: 178.