Dominant Lang Jacks take all three points following impressive display on the road

Whickham were deserved 2-0 winners against Crook Town at The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield ground, after producing a solid professional performance away from home. 

The Lang Jacks secured all three points thanks to goals from captain Ross Peareth and striker Scott Robson. 

The opening ten minutes were tense with both teams trying to figure each other out.

Whickham created the first chance of the match through right back Tomas Howard after thirteen minutes.

The full back picked out Kaleb Young down the left, the midfielder’s neat touch found Declan Bissett in space, his curling effort went just wide of Ronan Makepeace’s far post. 

The away team kept pressing for the opening goal of the game, Kieran Galbraith hit the crossbar from a Bissett in-swinging free kick. 

The Lang Jacks continued to press through Nathan Greenwood. The striker created space on the edge of the box, before his shot was parried to Robson whose effort was smartly saved by Makepeace. 

Whickham piled the pressure on, Robson came close to breaking the deadlock from a Bissett cross on the right, but Robson’s header sailed over the Crook goal. 

The visitors carved the Crook defence open again seven minutes before half time. Robson latching onto Howard’s through ball, but Makepeace was down quickly to keep the scores level. 

The Lang Jacks could have scored four in the last five minutes, Bissett’s drive on the edge forced Makepeace into a neat save. 

Only a couple of minutes later Robson was at it again, the striker was lively all afternoon, but the Crook number one was equal to his effort again.

Crook had Makepeace to thank for keeping the scores level at half time. The goalkeeper denied Ross Peareth and Bissett minutes before the break. 

Whickham finally took the lead on the hour mark through Ross Peareth. The midfielder was alert to a rebound following a Bissett corner to rattle the Crook net and give his side a well-deserved lead. 

The away team almost grabbed their second from the ever-present Robson fourteen minutes before full time.

The striker rounded Makepeace for what looked to be a tap in, but his heavy touch took him wide of the goal allowing the home team to regroup and clear their lines.

Crook started to apply pressure in the Whickham final third but were unable to grab an equaliser thanks to the impressive Whickham back line.

Scott Robson had a header cleared off the line five minutes before full time. The striker would have had a hat-trick on a different day. 

Whickham finally secured all three points four minutes from time through Robson. 

The striker grabbed a well-deserved goal after being played through thanks to an inch perfect pass from substitute Callum Elliott. 

Tony Fawcett’s team continued to push for a third in the final few minutes. Greenwood, Robson and Bissett all denied by Makepeace from close range. 

Whickham manager Tony Fawcett was delighted to secure his first away victory for the club and praised his players after the game. 

He said: “I thought we were excellent; in the first half they were outstanding. We have created so many chances today that on another day we could have scored six or seven.

“In the second half credit to Crook as they changed the way they played and changed the style of the game. 

“We bossed the first half and in the second half we couldn’t get on the ball as much, but we were still dangerous on the attack and should have scored three or four in the second half.”

Fawcett highlighted just how impressed he’s been with his defence after keeping their seventh clean sheet in ten games. 

He added: “James (Anderson) hasn’t had a save to make; our defence have been brilliant. The unit as a squad defensively have been phenomenal and long may that continue. 

“Today as individuals we were outstanding and as a unit, I would probably praise that more. They knew their roles and pulled people in, so we were protected well.”

Man of the Match Kieran Galbraith also praised his teammates following victory, he said: “As an eleven I thought we were outstanding from the get-go. 

“Defensively we were superb, at the moment we look so hard to break down, that’s about six or seven clean sheets since Tony came in, and the quality we possessed at the top of the pitch we’re only going to win games and keep getting stronger.”

Galbraith heaped praise on the new management since their arrival, he added: “We work on things all the time. We work on shape and attacking drills, you can see that when we go out on the pitch.

“We have a real togetherness now and that’s all down to training sessions, Tony, and the backroom staff. They’ve been absolutely brilliant since they came in.”

Whickham team: Anderson, Howard, Agnew, Galbraith, Dunn, Burrell, Peareth ©, Bissett, Young (Elliott 78’), S. Robson, Greenwood.

Subs not used: Below, Bolton, Jasper. 

Goals: Peareth 60’, S. Robson 86’.