HARROGATE TOWN V SALFORD CITY

FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round

The Trophy is the most constrained of the FA knock out tournaments, open to only levels one to four of the non-league pyramid, consisting twelve leagues and about 250 teams. So although we are still in the qualifying rounds, the winners today will progress into the last 64, just five steps from Wembley.

Harrogate Town v Salford City looks a tasty clash with both teams in the top half of the National League North; and the good weather for the time of year, sunny while the light lasts, has tempted me via a couple of trains and a twenty minute walk across The Stray to the Wetherby Road ground. It is not my first visit; that was a four years ago for an all ticket FA Cup second round tie with Hastings United.

No tickets needed today, despite Salford’s quasi-celebrity status, and a concessionary £8 gets me groundside, and £2.50 buys a pricey, if glossy, program. Inside the ground looks spruced up since last time, with concrete terracing and a variety of low level stands, enclosures, sponsors lounge, clubhouse, bars and a shop. The most significant change is the pitch; that FA Cup tie took place on a sticky, sandy mud pile but now there is a spanking 3G surface.

From the kick off Harrogate press and the energy of full back Lewis Turner wins the ball back high up the pitch. He finds Lloyd Kerry inside, and the man in the white mask (protecting a fractured cheekbone) skips through a couple of challenges and fires the ball past keeper Jay Linch into the net to give the home team a two minute lead.

Salford wake up and contribute to what is becoming a lively game. Long throws from Joshua Hine provide a threat, but the Harrogate centre halves Simon Ainge and Luke Shiels cope well. Their command of the air is also put to good use at Harrogate corners, Ainge powering a header over the bar on the quarter hour mark.

In doing so he clashes heads and needs some attention at the next break in play. As he endures the obligatory wait on the touchline, Salford restart and move the ball quickly to James Poole. In acres of space as Ainge’s absence has not been adequately covered, he is able to stride forward and unleash a 25 yard shot that beats Chris Elliot all ends up and levels the score.

The sides trade blows in fine attacking spells. Kerry again creates trouble in the box, his shot blocked by a last ditch challenge that may have included an arm; and his teammate Nicky Clee fires a shot wide. For Salford, centre half Steve Howson stoops to bullet a header form a corner just over the bar. Then Harrogate have a corner kick and Shiels wins a clean header from what looks like unstoppably close range, until Linch sticks out a paw to save; Ainge pounces on the rebound but his attempt is also foiled by the Salford stopper.

The breathless action continues with a Salford through ball; centre forward Hine has the beating of the defenders present but not the keeper who has seen the danger early and rushed ten yards outside his area. In my view he gets there first, clears the ball and then collides with Hines, leaving the striker in a heap, so for me if anything it is a Harrogate free kick; the referee begs to differ and gives it the other way, adding a yellow card for Elliot by way of insult. For the next through ball Elliot is again alert and this time collects without incident.

The end to end ebb and flow sees both number sevens prominent. A Warren Burrell volley is on target for Harrogate but is straight at the keeper; for Salford Craig King dispossesses a defender near the corner flag and moves infield but his rolled pass square to the unmarked Hines is under hit and never gets there, pounced on by Elliot. The last action of the half is a late corner for Harrogate and Shiels, up again, powers another header; and this time there is no heroics from Linch and the ball hits the back of the net to put the home team back ahead.

It has been a good half, possibly the best seen so far this season, with both teams committed to attack and playing good football, due in part I have to admit to the excellent surface which has the truest bounce and cleanest roll of any artificial surface I’ve seen.

Salford start the second half with intent. A long throw causes a scramble in the Harrogate box before the ball is hoofed clear. A long kick from the keeper gives Hines another run in on Elliot and though this time the striker gets to the ball first, he pokes it wide. Harrogate step up their game to match and Clee fires a shot that is deflected over the bar. From the corner Salford break in a sweeping move that deserves better than the resulting corner.

Nothing comes of that, but from another corner the tall Salford right back, Michael Nottingham, caps a fine game by stealing unnoticed in at the near post to nod in a defensively soft equaliser; two all with twenty-five minutes left.

The next ten minutes the game tenses and tightens up, and it is symptomatic when Salford captain Bradley Barnes clatters through the back of Clee. It is a yellow card, and it is his second of the game so he is off and Salford are down to ten men. Harrogate sense their chance and press forward, but the space they leave behind is exploited by another Salford through ball and race between Hines and Elliot. The keeper wins this one by a whisker and takes the ball cleanly off the striker’s toes.

Harrogate’s man advantage is not showing, and Salford are not just hanging on for a replay. Shooting chances are coming their way: Patrick Brough, up from left back, blasts one yards over and out of the ground; Matthew Warburton puts his on target but too much so - into Elliot’s waiting arms. The final attempt of the afternoon is a similar effort Harrogate’s Andi Thanoj, and the game ends with the ball in Linch’s hands.

A really good even game ends two apiece. Harrogate, unable to make the man advantage pay, may have missed their best chance of progressing; Salford will now fancy their chances in the replay to move a step nearer to Wembley.

NEWTON AYCLIFFE v NORTH SHIELDS

Northern League Division 1 

The first gap for a while in the hectic autumn schedule of FA Cup, Trophy & Vase ties gives an opportunity to take in a top Northern League game in which the clear leaders, North Shields, visit top half hopefuls, Newton Aycliffe. However the match has significance for upcoming Vase ties in the third round, the draw for which was a hammer blow to Northern League hopes of prolonging their run of finalists. In two weeks Newton Aycliffe play holders Morpeth, and North Shields will entertain League Champions Shildon; so this could be a pointer to form.

Moore Lane Park is a familiar setting, today bathed in a low slanting sun. It is cold but still, and the recent rain has relented leaving the pitch soft but not yet heavy. The normally modest home crowd is swelled by a decent showing from North Shields whose fans’ travels are more often than not rewarded with a win.

And the same confidence is displayed by the visiting players who are soon into their rhythm winning a couple of early corners. They are a big team and the twin defensive towers of Curtis Coppen and Kevin Hughes come forward to threaten. Newton Aycliffe defend the corners unconvincingly, with keeper James Winter (not the tallest) opting to punch but not getting much distance. Winter is agile however, as is shown when he saves, low to his right, a header from Shields centre forward Dan Wilson (another big’un).

The North Shields front line is dynamic and Dean Holmes carries the ball diagonally left to right before offloading, then overlapping to put in an inviting cross that is volleyed gleefully into the net from twelve yards by Ryan Carr. It is an early blow for Newton Aycliffe but they try to hit back straight away. Stuart Banks cuts in from the right and unleashes a left foot shot that keeper Kyle Hayes opts to punch out rather than risk a catch. Two corner kicks are won in a flurry that ends with Banks again shooting from distance, this time narrowly wide.

Shields absorb the pressure and counter attack dangerously. In one such, Carr survives a close offside call and races through on the right. His cross, behind the retreating Aycliffe defence is perfect for Holmes to sidefoot home. Two nil after not yet half an hour bodes ill for the home team, but they steady the ship and deny further chances for a while. But as half time approaches Wilson, deceptively quick for his size, makes room for himself in the box and pulls back a nice cross, creating a heading chance for Lee Mason, which he squanders by nodding the ball wide.

On forty-five minutes North Shields have another corner (the first since those opening minutes) and again Aycliffe struggle to clear, eventually gaining relief courtesy of the half time whistle.

The second half starts as the first did with a Shields corner punched (not very) clear by Winter. Aycliffe’s tactics, intended or imposed, seems to be to sit back deep and hit long balls up to Banks and John Campbell, either for them to turn and run onto or hold up until reinforcements arrive. Campbell does manufacture a shooting chance with which he stings the palms of Hayes.

It signals a bit of pressure from Newton Aycliffe, and when a pass inside the box is blocked by the arm of full back Marc Lancaster (at that point sat on the ground) the referee awards a penalty. Campbell steps up and smashes in the spot kick. Minutes later midfielder Alan Harrison progresses into the box with a mazy run; he is brought to a halt but left back Scott Howes takes over and rolls a shot that, with agonising slowness, comes back off the base of the post.

North Shields have been less convincing for these first twenty minutes of the half, possibly expecting to cruise home, but are now stung back into action. And they have space to work in as Aycliffe press for an equaliser. The speedy Holmes is the main threat, having a run on goal foiled by Winter then setting up substitute Peter Glen-Ravenhill who shoots wide. Holmes then has a couple of headed chances – one cleared off the line and another just wide.

As full time approaches most of the action is down the Aycliffe end, with the home team under pressure from a succession of free kicks, somehow surviving at least one almighty scramble. So as time ticks down the odds are less on an equaliser than a third Shields goal. After an excessive added five minutes time is called and North Shields continue to lead the way in the Northern league.

They will have to balance their league ambitions with their Vase run with that upcoming tough tie against Shildon; Newton Aycliffe, safely mid table, can concentrate fully on dethroning Morpeth and trying for Wembley.

PICKERING TOWN V SHILDON

FA Vase 2^nd Round - 12 November 2016

A drive through the cloud shrouded North York Moors is needed to get to this FA Vase second round tie but dropping back down to Pickering, Mill Lane is merely grey and misty. The town centre ground, part of a large sporting complex, is low level but has cover available behind both goals and to one side. The other side, out of bounds to fans, features a tallish wooden fence, beyond which may be a cricket field. The pitch itself has a significant diagonal slope; a corner kick from its high point would already be head high to those in the goalmouth.

The only touch of colour in the gloom is provided by the emerging teams, Pickering Town in blue and Shildon in red, who pause a minute to observe the remembrance silence. A good Northern League team will normally beat a good Northern Counties East team so Shildon may be favourites, but Pickering have home field advantage, and we did see them win at Consett a couple of rounds ago.

Both teams are quickly into stride. A Shildon header goes straight at the keeper, then a Pickering shot fizzes wide. Such exchanges continue for twenty minutes, with Shildon gradually gaining the upper hand. However their normal passing game is then bypassed when a goal kick from Nick Liversedge is headed on by Amar Purewal to centre forward Michael Rae, who shoots into the bottom corner of the net for the archetypical route one goal.

Pickering’s best response is some intricate play in the penalty box that is eventually crowded out. Shildon get better dividends from a long cross from the left when again Rae strikes with a header firmly planted into the goal. Two down is dangerous territory for Pickering but they win a soft free kick 25 yards out. The attempt is blocked by the wall, by someone’s hand claim the home team, but the referee thinks not and play continues.

Five minutes from half time Shildon skipper Daniel “Bobby” Moore, allowed out of the back four today, strides forward from midfield and cracks a shot low into the corner of the net. If two down was dangerous, three down could be terminal, and Pickering go all out to get one back. Centre forward Ryan Blott wriggles free from two defenders and curls a delightful shot that heads for the top corner until keeper Liversedge intervenes with his fingertips. The resultant corner is headed against the bar and then the bouncing ball is hooked just wide.

That is the last action of the half and the late flurry has been Pickering’s best spell, showing they still believe they are in the game. And we have seen Shildon relax from this position before (allowing Newton Aycliffe to score two); mind you we have also seen them run riot (putting seven past Bedlington).

Four minutes into the second half we get an indication of which way it will go. Shildon’s skilful Lewis Wing has tormented all game and he combines well with left back David Ferguson and Bobby Moore to enable the latter to shoot. Keeper Toby Wells saves that one but the rebound comes out to the still lurking Ferguson who hammers it home for Shildon’s fourth.

The edge goes out of Pickering’s play but they still threaten occasionally, forcing a fine save from Liversedge who tips over a header destined for the angle. But as they drop off the pace they give time and space to Shildon who know how to use it. A slide-rule through ball puts Purewal in the clear; his first touch tempts out keeper Wells, and his second slides the ball past him into the net.

There is still fifteen minutes left but the game is mainly going through the motions. Nevertheless Blott continues to plough his centre forward furrow and for the second time twists clear of two defenders to force another save from Liversedge.

There is just time for some more magic from Wing who tries an outrageous chip from forty yards that has Wells furiously backpedalling to his goal line, which he reaches just in time to tip the ball over the bar.

That keeps it at five nil, and the referee decides not to add any time to the ninety minutes, so we can all get off early into the misty night. Pickering have been plucky but outclassed and go out of the Vase; Shildon brought their A game today, which was good enough today and should be enough to take their run deep into the competition.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED v STAMFORD

FA Cup First Round - 6 November 2016

As is often the case, the first round of the FA Cup brings us to Victoria Park at Hartlepool. Grey skies and squally showers abound but the town centre ground is well provided with cover on all four sides. From the top of the Miramax Stand the masts of the HMS Trimcomalee, in dock at the Historic Quay, peep over the opposite stand roof to give an unusual but characteristic prospect.

Hartlepool United are not having a great season in League Two and are without a home win so far, which will give some hope to their Northern Premier League Division One South opponents Stamford. The visitors have brought a good following to see their first ever appearance in the first round, and Hartlepool in an attempt to get their disappointed fans to turn up have reduced prices, so £10 gets me an OAP seat and £2.50 a decent programme.

At kick off a stiff breeze favours the red shirts of Stamford so Hartlepool in blue and white stripes may have to work the ball forward. They do seem keen on working the ball and keeping possession, but going forward is more of a problem against a well packed defence. It takes fifteen minutes for them to register an attempt on goal when a shot from Michael Woods is blocked.  A few minutes later Woods finds Jordan Richards in the box, and his shot at least gets through to keeper Sam Donkin who saves well. The next shot on goal is from Nicky Deverdics but it is deflected and loops up onto the crossbar; the rebound comes to Padraig Amond who swings a boot, misses, swings again and connects, only to bring another save from Donkin.

The keeper is having a good game and is in action again to dive at Amond's feet to smother a half chance, then he saves a close range toe-poke from Josh Laurent and is also vigilantly on hand to pick up when Lewis Alessandra’s run through is spoilt by a heavy first touch.

Keeping the score blank has been Stamford’s priority for thirty five minutes, but suddenly they start to engage the Hartlepool defence. A break gives Kern Miller a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box that he drags wide. Then Jevani Brown nicely sets up an unidentified teammate whose shot is deflected for a corner, and though the ball is cleared, it is returned with interest via a Brown shot over the bar. From another corner Delroy Gordon wins a clean header that comes close enough to discomfort the home fans.

Those fans greet the half time whistle with boos and catcalls, the last few minutes of Stamford pressure fresher in their minds than the opening half hour of dominance.

An early second half corner for Stamford is caught by keeper Trevor Carson and speedily bowled out to the half way line, the counter attack resulting in a corner. This tests Donkin under his crossbar and, flailing a bit, he needs assistance to get the ball safely back out of play. He deals better with the repeat corner, holding on well under pressure.

With the breeze now behind them Hartlepool establish base camp well inside the Stamford half and the pressure leads to Stamford conceding a rash of free kicks. One from the left wing is well defended but the next is more central, and though thirty yards out is wind assisted and so spells danger. Richards beats the wall but his shot is too central and Donkin catches safely. Five minutes later another free kick is awarded almost from the same spot. This time Deverdics claims dibs on the ball and his shot is cleanly over the wall and into the unguarded side of the goal. The home fans greet the sixty-fifth minute goal with more relief than joy. The question now is do Stamford have a plan B.

Having put on two substitutes just before the goal, manager Graham Drury sends on his third. A brief flurry in attack brings a free kick on the edge of the box that Jake Duffy (who has caught the eye in Stamford’s midfield) gets on target to give Carson his first save of the day.

Otherwise Hartlepool cope well with the Stamford response. Finding a bit more space up front, Richards is able to volley the ball hard and low into the Stamford penalty area where defender Lee Beeson sticks out a leg and deflects the ball past his helpless keeper for an unfortunate own goal.

Two down with less than ten minutes to go the Stamford players wilt for the first time. Hartlepool now have time on the ball as well as space and set up a nice move, the ball going right and left before being returned to the centre where club captain (on as a late substitute) rounds the move and the game off with a firm header (half diving, half falling) into the net.

The two late goals have put a flattering sheen on the score, not in terms of possession and territory but in terms of penetration and goal threat. The home fans in the crowd of 2,461 will not care too much – they are through; and the 505 away fans (sportingly acknowledged by the PA and the locals) will not be too disappointed with a good day out and a game they remained in until the final ten minutes.