Hornets sting Ridge right at the death

ROBBIE SPENCE’S late extra-time goal finally broke the home side’s resistance to take Hebburn through to the quarter-final for the first time in the club’s history. The midfielder reacted quickest to stab home the loose ball after home keeper Lee Dovey had spilled Michael McKeown’s free-kick.

Visiting manager Kevin Bolam was delighted with his side: “We had created enough chances, especially in the 90 minutes, to win two games but some great defending and superb keeping kept them in it. Overall I think we deserved the win even if it took us until so late to clinch it.”

The visitors’ Olly Martin fired agonisingly wide early on. The winger had another effort blocked before Dovey made a superb save to keep his side on terms. The visitors broke down the right with Tom Potter finding Michael Richardson free and his drilled effort was tipped around the post.

With a huge travelling support roaring them on, the visitors created further chances, Graeme Armstrong somehow firing over from almost on the line. The striker also saw a firm header saved well by Dovey.

The home side, second best throughout the half had created little with their best efforts coming via wide men Jon-Jo Morris and Scott Harries.

The second half was a much more even affair with both sides coming close, Scott Harries firing wide and Paul Turner testing Foden from the edge of the box.

The visitors came close through Richardson, who saw his effort well saved by Dovey before sub Cedwyn Scott thought he had won it in normal time as he rounded the keeper only to see Danny Wilkinson clear the ball off the line.

Extra time saw both Luke Sullivan and Richardson coming close for the visitors before Spence had the final say on matters.