SHILDON V ALTRINCHAM

FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round

Dean Street is a regular haunt, but this is the first visit of the season for A Good Cup Run for game that will test Shildon’s unbeaten start to the season. That run includes three FA Cup wins to get to this second qualifying round and a tie against opponents from a couple of steps up the pyramid. Altrincham are in the Northern Premier League Premier Division in which they hope to halt the slide after two relegations in two years.

It is a cool day at Dean Street, but dry, and the lack of a turnstile queue at 2:55 indicates fewer spectators than expected for the potential giant-killing occasion (maybe the higher Cup prices – a fiver for me – put off a few regulars); as a bonus the final dog-eared programme is available to be snapped up for £2. Then it is straight into the game, Shildon in their red with white diagonal sash, Alty in a fetching away kit of all purple.

Shildon start at a high tempo and press high while Altrincham fail to settle, so for the first quarter hour it is even, if uneventful. But then Shildon’s intensity drops and Alty are able to exert their class, taking up residence in their opponents’ half. Shildon are defending resolutely, if deep, and are able to restrict Alty to some long range shots.

Mind you these are worrying for the home fans as twice keeper Nick Liversedge has to save well and once watch the ball skim across his goal past the far post, all three shots from the impressive John Johnston.

The home side find it difficult to get out of defence; the lone striker Billy Greulich-Smith is generally isolated and unable to do much unaided. The occasional free kick provides what opportunities there are, and from one Greulich-Smith does plant a header into keeper Anthony Thompson’s hands.

Altrincham’s free kicks at the other end are closer in and twice the Shildon wall has to stand firm as the ball is crashed into it at pace. The relentless pressure is only relieved rarely, though Greulich-Smith does get free once to force a save from Thompson. Alty continue to dominate but it remains goalless at half time, which will do Shildon nicely.

In the second half Shildon’s attempt to repeat their good start to the game lasts nowhere near as long. After just four minutes Johnston is back taking aim and another fierce shot rains in, beating Liversedge but rippling only the outside of the net. Minutes later Josh Hancock’s shot does require blocking and the keeper completes a double save by stopping the follow up shot as well.

It seems to be a matter of time before a goal goes in, but Shildon player-manager Bobby Moore brings on Adam Burnicle for Jack Taylor; the substitute goes up front with Greulich-Smith dropping back to wide midfield, allowing the skilful Anthony Peacock a more central role. The change works wonders and Shildon start to have a say in the game.

A corner is won, taken, and the ball ends up in the Altrincham net; however the referee rules dark arts were at work and disallows the goal. But it does serve to buoy up the home team and the last twenty minutes of the game are quite even as the visitors drop off their game, possibly unconsciously settling for a replay.

And that looks likely until with five minutes left Burnicle, not for the first time, bustles his way through a couple of defenders and into the box. He seems to beat the last defender and then shoot powerfully but wide – but instead of a goalkick the referee points to the penalty spot - it transpires handball was involved. For good measure he dismisses an Altrincham defender, whether for the offence itself or the protests that followed is unclear.

Greulich-Smith steps up to take the penalty; he hits it low but too close to Thompson who parries. There is a slow motion moment as the ball rises and all wait to see who will get to it first. It is Shildon’s late substitute Cameron Fenton, and he nods the ball over the prostrate and unfortunate Thompson into the vacant net.

Altrincham roar into action from the restart, but Shildon’s defence continues to prove impenetrable and when a late free kick is saved by Liversedge and headed clear by a defender it is all over.

Shildon have not only preserved their unbeaten start but have saved themselves a midweek trip to Cheshire and secured a place in the draw for the next round. If Altrincham play as well as this most weeks they will win, provided they are not up against teams that defend to the last man as well as Shildon.

SEAHAM RED STAR v ALBION SPORTS

FA Vase 1^st Qualifying Round 

This week’s trip to the seaside is to Seaham on the Durham coast to see Red Star take on Albion Sports in the FA Vase first qualifying round. One of the attractions of the Vase (and Cup) is the inter-league ties thrown up; here the Northern Division 1 against the Northern Counties East Premier Division (both step five of the pyramid).

It has been a couple of years since A Good Cup Run was last at Seaham Town Park but the ground remains neat and tidy with a pleasant open aspect and its quirky blue-roofed pavilion-like clubhouse and changing rooms. The flat green pitch has small covered stands on each touchline where spectators can both sit or stand; behind the couple of steps of concrete perimeter terracing there are grassy verges and in places a fine laurel hedge.

Today started showery but the weather looks set fair for the game as the teams line up, Seaham appropriately in mainly red and the visitors from Bradford in yellow and blue. Both are mid-table in their leagues, Seaham top half against Albion’s bottom half, but the visitors are still in the FA Cup unlike their hosts who went out at the first hurdle.

Red Star get on top in the first half and put the Albion goal under threat with a header from Liam McBryde straight into Jake Lofthouse’s waiting arms, and a long range shot from Aaron Croft that the keeper chooses to punch clear despite the ball being at ankle level. McBryde’s next header is better placed and beats Lofthouse, but not the foot of the post, which it hits and stays out.

Albion’s efforts to get the ball forward are ineffective as the front three seem lightweight and can’t hold on to the ball. No goals at half time but advantage Red Star.

That advantage seems to dissipate over the interval. Red Star lose their rhythm and Albion are showing better form. Right winger Lamin Janneh who was in the full back’s pocket in the first half is suddenly producing danger. He works in off the wing to produce a shot that’s on target but deflected wide for a corner; the corner kick itself lands on the bar. Janneh then produces a great cross from the right that Alex Cusack volleys over from six yards out.

Red Star still have a share of the game and a killing right wing cross needs only the chest of McBryde to force it into the goal off the underside of the bar. The loss of a goal stuns Albion and they nearly lose another when Andy Johnston fires in a long range shot that Lofthouse does well to save. He saves a similar effort from Robbie Bird then tips an angled drive from the same player onto the angle of post and bar.

But it stays 1 – 0 into the last five minutes and Albion press hard, coming close when a shot from Cusack is deflected narrowly wide. They are leaving themselves exposed at the back though, and a long Seaham clearance gives substitute Ash Davis the chance to outmuscle his lone marker, race through on goal and beat the keeper with a cool finish.

That’s in the final scheduled minute making the added time less tense than it would have been and the game ends at two nil.

                       

The final score would have been a fair reflection of the first half, and though Albion played better in the second half they still had to rely overmuch on their goalkeeper. They can get back to the FA Cup next week but as far as the Vase is concerned, it is Seaham Red Star who progress.

SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC V WORKINGTON

FA Cup 1^st Qualifying Round

Another previously unvisited ground hosts A Good Cup Run this week, the Flamingo Land Stadium, Scarborough where the ‘Sea Dogs’ will take on Workington. It’s all-NPL, Division 1 North v Premier Division, and hopefully home advantage will offset league status to give a good even game. This is the first season back in town for Boro after a decade in exile at Bridlington, so fan interest is high and there’s a crowd of about 800.

The new home has a 3G pitch, glowing green in the sunshine and new enough for puffs of black rubber granules to explode from every bounce of the ball. As for the ground, there is an elevated grandstand along one touchline, a covered terrace behind one goal, and low level standing elsewhere, at least for paying customers – others could join the donkeys on the field rising up the hillside opposite the main stand.

Both teams make a lively start. Workington have the ball in the net following a long throw, but it’s ruled offside and then Scarborough begin to pepper their opponent’s goal with shots from Billy Logan (just wide) and Luke Dean (well saved at the top corner) and a threatening run by Max Wright that ends with a hefty challenge in the box ruled just legal by the referee.

The attempts at the other end, a shot from Scott Allison and a header from Connor Tinnion, produce no more than regulation saves from Tom Taylor in goal. His opposite number Aaran Taylor remains the busiest keeper up to half time, pulling off another good save or two and ensuring it remains goalless at the break.

But not long beyond. Two minutes after the restart Scarborough’s Nathan Valentine gets himself behind the Workington back line and has the coolness to sidefoot past the keeper; Aaron Taylor still gets a hand on the ball but can’t prevent its progress into goal.

Scarborough don’t sit back, their natural game seems to be to win the ball and go forward quickly. A header by centre half Matty Turnbull, up for free kick, and a shot from Valentine are on target but easily saved; a cross shot from left back Dave Merris is more problematic but results in no more than a corner kick.

That is Scarborough’s high point as Workington increasingly come into the game late on. It is a close call when, from one of their corner kicks, a header hits the underside of the bar and bounces on, or near, or over the goal line. The assistant referee is confident that it’s no goal so play just goes on despite Workington appeals.

A rare break for Scarborough sees substitute Emile Sinclair get to a through ball ahead of the advancing keeper, but his lob finds only the base of the post and rebounds to safety. Otherwise it is relentless Workington pressure with keeper Taylor joining the attack for late corners and free kicks.

When a final free kick is headed wide the referee blows up to finish a good cup tie that was more entertaining than the scoreline may suggest. The one Scarborough goal settled it, seeing the Step four club through to the next round at the expense of their step 3 visitors.