Bishop Auckland advanced to the second round of the FA Vase for the first time in three years following a 3-1 victory over Northern League rivals Newton Aycliffe at Heritage Park. The win brings Bishop Auckland within one round of matching their best-ever performance in the competition.

The Two Blues established an early advantage, scoring twice within the opening 11 minutes. Craig Moody opened the scoring by capitalizing on a precise pass from Dane Burlace, skillfully evading a defender before placing the ball into the bottom corner. Shortly thereafter, Amar Purewal, a seasoned forward with previous experience at Hebburn and Stockton, converted a cut-back from Ben Jordison to double the lead.

Newton Aycliffe gradually gained momentum, registering several attempts before the half-hour mark. Charlie Dawson and Brennan Fitzpatrick both tested Bishop Auckland goalkeeper Shane Bland, who made a pair of important saves in quick succession. The second half saw strong goalkeeping performances from both Bland and Newton Aycliffe’s Tom Shanley.

Newton Aycliffe reduced the deficit just before the hour through Andrew Nelson, who scored from close range following a corner delivered by Jake Dobinson. Despite the goal, Bishop Auckland restored their two-goal cushion 13 minutes later when Jordison struck a powerful shot into the top corner from approximately 25 yards out.

Towards the end of the match, Purewal came close to extending the lead again from a cross by Burlace, but his effort was denied by the post. Bishop Auckland’s manager, Martin Gray, has aspirations for success in both league and Vase competitions this season, and the team’s performance against Newton Aycliffe supported those ambitions.