FA Cup Preliminary Round

WEST AUCKLAND TOWN v DARLINGTON 1883 - 30 August 2014

Forty minutes before kick-off the crowd is already building at Darlington Road for this tasty cup tie. It is the Darlington fans’ first FA Cup tie since November 2011, and the reincarnated club’s first ever. Darlington 1883 are now a step up from West Auckland, but the home team despatched a couple of Northern Premier League teams last season so they will believe they have a chance here.

It’s the brightest day yet in this year’s Good Cup Run, with sunshine, blue sky and fluffy white clouds, but a stiffish breeze for the players to contend with. The pitch looks firm and lush with only the familiar slopes and undulations to prevent comparison with the proverbial billiard (why not snooker?) table.

Kick-off is delayed five minutes as one goal net does not come up to the assistant referee’s exacting requirements but when the game gets going it is West Auckland who settle quickest. Ten minutes in, an innocuous looking ball finds Knight in the penalty area with his back to goal. A drop of the shoulder and quick turn gains him space and an accurate cross-shot finds the corner of the net, putting West 1-0 up.

Darlo respond well to going behind. A through ball sees the West Auckland keeper race out of his area only to be rounded easily by Mitchell, and when the ball comes across to Armstrong there is only the defender on the line to beat, but Pattinson spreads himself, miraculously blocks the shot and the ball is hacked clear. Next star man Thompson wriggles clear and unleashes a fierce shot that cannons off the inside of the post but fails to cross the line. West are hanging on and get another let off when a cross finds Armstong unmarked at the far post, but he heads over.

West survive to half time; after the initial ten minutes and the goal it has been all Darlo but the underdogs have defended with determination and no little luck.

Within five minutes of the resumption Darlington resume their attacks and Dowson is put through on the right. He shoots powerfully, Lowson parries it onto the post but the ball rebounds inside the six yard box where it eventually falls to Adam Mitchell. With defenders throwing their bodies onto the goal line he manages to find a route through to side foot the equalising goal.

The expected domination from the NPL team doesn’t materialise; they take their foot off the gas and fail to capitalise. After fifteen minutes manager Grey swaps his strikers, but that makes matters worse as they start to play long and narrow.

Slowly West regain composure and regain a share of possession and territory, and look the more threatening; Pattinson has a shot cleared off the line, Knight has a rising effort that clears the bar, and even giant centre half Daryll Hall, up for a corner, gets in on the action with a left foot swinger that shaves the post.

But there are no more goals; honours are shared and it will be a short trip down the road to Heritage Park for a replay on Wednesday night.

OTHER MATCHES ROUND-UP

Of the other five teams in action, there were good away wins for Spennymoor (2-0 at Tadcaster), Marske United (4-1 at Armthorpe Welfare) and Shildon (1-0 at Padiham); but Durham City crashed out 3-0 at Dunston UTS. Once more Bishop Auckland failed to make home advantage count, but survive, drawing spectacularly 4-4 with Jarrow Roofing, and will hope to repeat the previous round trick of winning the replay.

FA Cup state of play: 2 yet to start, 3 through, 3 replaying, 5 out.