Railwaymen want a ‘good go’ at Vase
SHILDON manager Daniel Moore is preparing to have “a good go” at winning the FA Vase after his side saw off Northern League rivals Stockton Town to reach the last 32 of the competition.
The Railwaymen took a two-goal lead on Teesside with 50 minutes on the clock as striker Dean Thexton and winger Kurt Matthews found the net.
Their hosts gave themselves some hope of mounting a comeback when Nathan Mulligan reduced the arrears but Thexton settled the tie when he fired home his second goal of the day with three minutes remaining.
Railwaymen boss Moore – a former Vase winner as a player with Spennymoor Town – is now looking to help the club reach their first ever final and to become the latest Northern League club to experience success in the competition.
“We can have a good go at it,” he said.
“I’ve said to the lads they can go and enjoy their Christmas Day off now but we’re going to be training in between Christmas and New Year and we’ll try and get some friendlies in.
“All we can do is plan as though the Vase is our next game in January.
“Overall, the last month the lads have looked after themselves well which is a credit to them. We gave them a bit of a plan but I think the levels were very good today, so we’re chuffed to bits.”
There were contrasting emotions for last season’s FA Vase finalists on a dramatic day of third round action in the competition.
Consett saw their dreams of making a second successive final ended by Northern League Division One rivals West Auckland Town.
All of the goals came inside the opening 25 minutes at Belle View as the hosts seized the initiative when top goalscorer Dale Pearson fired them in front on the quarter-hour mark. But it was two-time finalists West Auckland that progressed into the next round as they battled from a goal down to claim a 2-1 win thanks to goals from David Dowson and Jamie Harwood.
Hebburn Town are still on course to reach a second final in as many years – although they were given a major scare by former Vase opponents Vauxhall Motors.
Michael McKeown put the Hornets ahead on 15 minutes and that lead remained intact until the final quarter of an hour.
The visitors rallied and looked to have recorded a shock win as Hayden Cooper and Michael Burkey found the net to put them into the lead as injury-time approached.
But a dramatic equaliser by Hornets defender Dan Groves sent the tie to penalties and his side held their nerve as a Mark Foden save allowed Graeme Armstrong to secure a 5-3 win in the shoot-out.
However, Northern League rivals Ryhope CW came out on the wrong end of a penalty shoot-out as their Vase run was ended by Northern Counties East League club Liversedge.
The two sides battled to a goalless draw over a nervy 90 minutes at the Recreation Ground – but it was the visitors that claimed their third Northern League scalp of the season with a 4-3 win in the shoot-out.
Seaham Red Star produced a stunning display to claim a 4-0 win at Barnton in the only second round tie to take place on Saturday.
Mark Collingwood’s men were in fine form as a brace from Andrew Johnson and a goal apiece from Thomas Bott and Paul Gardiner helped their side reach the third round for the third time in seven seasons.
Red Star will now travel to North Ferriby as they look to reach the fourth round for the first time since 1979.