GATESHEAD v WORCESTER CITY

FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round

It is not my first visit to the Gateshead International Stadium, I was here amongst 20,000 plus to see the Athletics Europa Cup in 2013, but this is my first football match here. There will be a lot fewer of us today watching Gateshead play Worcester City, but the day is fine and the pitch looks good. The red tiered seats in the cavernous stands and the eight lane running track makes the ground less intimate than most at this level, but the upside is good facilities and catering.

‘The Heed’ play in the highest non-league division and have a one-step advantage over Worcester, but they are struggling of late and have a bit of an injury crisis; their opponents tasted cup glory last season, beating Coventry and taking Scunthorpe to a replay, so an even game is likely.

The first twenty minutes are even only in the score; Worcester are well on top. Gateshead’s understudy keeper, Shaun MacDonald, is already being tested in what is his first team debut, with teasing crosses which he claws away unconvincingly, and a looped header which he stretches to tip over the bar.

The latter only gives him another cross to deal with in the shape of a corner into a packed six yard box. It comes in low but somehow reaches Worcester centre forward Deon Burton, knee high three yards out, who gleefully volleys home.

The lead is deserved, but City cannot build on it. In a rare attack it is Gateshead who have the next chance when, from a corner kick, a Ryan Bowman downward header bounces near the goal line before being deflected up and over the bar. Worcester respond quickly and it needs desperate defending by Gateshead with a scrambling block, a diving save and a clearance off the line to keep it at one nil.

Neither dressing room will be happy at half time. Worcester City will be disappointed to be only one goal up; Gateshead will be dissatisfied with their performance that lacked any positivity. One home fan, seeing me writing notes, hopes I can spell ‘dire’.

But the second half opens with Gateshead unrecognisable. After just two minutes they have a shot on target (possibly their first) albeit straight at the keeper. Three minutes later another good chance is headed wide. Then an attack down the left produces a deep cross into the Worcester penalty area and Danny Johnson stoops to power a header goalwards. The keeper parries but Bowman is on hand to bundle the ball over for an equalising goal.

Worcester, lured by the first half into a false sense of superiority, take a while to get their game back together. But they do and slowly but surely regain their grip on the match. A succession of corners into that crowded six yard box proves troublesome for the debut keeper, who gets little help from a static defence. Sure enough one of these to the near post is smuggled over the line by Burton for his second goal.

City do not rest on their laurels but continue to press Gateshead back; the home team’s second half push has stalled. Worcester’ lead remains at 2-1 solely due to keeper MacDonald producing some fine saves including three in succession as each parry rebounds to an attacker. This is followed up by a dive to tip an overhead kick past the post.

His heroics leave the door ajar for a last gasp Gateshead charge which produces a late chance for centre-half Ben Clark, but his sidefoot effort is blocked by the keeper and the rebound rolls out of reach.

Worcester City, courtesy of two goals from their ex-Derby County man Deon Burton, go through to the first round again. Gateshead’s performance is summed up by their debut keeper being named man of the match.

It is another away win in this season’s Good Cup Run (the fifth in the six ties) and with the other match ending in a draw and a lost replay, my presence at a first round proper tie will not be welcomed by the home club.

WHITLEY BAY v CHORLEY

FA Cup Third Qualifying Round

It is a fine day for a cup tie on the North East coast; hazy sunshine on the green but undulating pitch, and a good crowd gathering in anticipation of a bit of giant-killing as Whitley Bay take on Chorley from three levels above in the non-league pyramid. The home side are in blue and white stripes with the visitors in an all green strip only a couple of shades brighter than the grass.

Early Chorley pressure forces a corner and their centre half Charnock spins away from his near post marker to reappear at the far post and get a firm header on target that deflects of a defender and clips the bar on its way over. More corners and crosses follow but Whitley Bay survive.

While camped out in their opponent’s half, Chorley take a throw back to a defender on half way, who is pressurised and dispossessed by the speedy Shanks. The home striker then spots the keeper well out of goal and strikes a fine lofted forty yard drive over his head and into the net. It’s against the run of play but, a quarter of an hour in, sets up the game nicely.

Play reverts to Chorley possession and tigerish Whitley Bay defending. Shots rain in but mainly high and wide. A rare excursion to the Chorley end sees Shanks connect with a cracking volley that unfortunately is straight at the keeper. The respite is short lived as minutes later Chorley’s Winter gets a good header on target, producing a fine save from keeper Jennison, low down to his left, finger-tipping round the post.

As half time approaches Whitley Bay’s hopes of holding out are dented as influential defender Reid has to go off injured. However they do finish the half with a rare spell of attacking football, but without reward.

Chorley start the second half with the same intensity with which they began the match. Within minutes Bond cuts into the penalty area from the right, easily beating his man. His first effort is saved, his attempt to knock in the rebound is blocked, but when the ball again comes back to him he is able finally to force it over the line for an equaliser.

Whitley Bay’s response is immediate and promising. The rangy Kempster runs clear of his defender and he is closing in on goal before being tripped from behind. The home fans bay for a red card but with other defenders in the vicinity, the referee produces only yellow. Nevertheless the free kick is dangerous, ricocheting a few times before bobbling up and over the bar for a corner.

The corner proves dangerous in a different way. The ball is cleared and worked quickly upfield by Chorley, finding full back Ross overlapping on the right. He wastes no time in crossing well for team mate Cottrell to glance a fine header into the goal. Two goals in not many more minutes have turned the tie around.

Whitley Bay are on the ropes and narrowly survive a further blow when Chorley substitute Carver’s shot from twenty yards hits the inside of the right hand post and rebounds along the goal line, passing the other post before going dead. Chorley have their tails up now and look to have an appetite for more goals.

Somehow Whitley Bay weather the storm, and a reshuffle of personnel provides more attacking threat. With fifteen minutes left this produces dividends as a deep cross from the left finds Shanks at the far post; his header back across and over the keeper is good enough to find the net, and so set up a tense end to the match.

It is fast and furious now. Carver again is unlucky as his header hits the underside of the Whitley Bay bar but drops safe to be hoofed clear. The next chance also falls to Chorley. Centre forward Dean for once wrestles himself clear of marker Flynn and heads for goal. He’s forced wide in rounding the keeper and his attempt to slot home from wide is on target but weak, enabling a scrambling defender to block on the line. But Stephenson is following up and is able to tap in to restore the Chorley lead.

The last ten minutes see Whitley Bay, urged on by the home fans, throw everything at Chorley. This is literally the case with left back McDonald who has a phenomenal long throw, and whose overall excellent game is summed up late on when having taken a throw from the right wing he sprints back across to his left back position to foil the resulting Chorley break.

There are more throws, corners and free kicks aimed into the Chorley box; and equally some threatening counter attacks, but no more goals and Chorley hold out. So no giant-killing but still a great cup tie and both teams go off to resounding applause.

Chorley will go forward to the final qualifying round but will remember the testing they received in the North East of England up at Hillheads Park.