CROOK TOWN 0 MARSKE UNITED 2
With the game goalless at half-time, Seasiders boss Carl Jarrett looked to his bench and opted for a double change as Liam O’sullivan and Matthew Tymon replaced Andrew May and Louis Johnson.
It was O’sullivan that almost made an impact within 60 seconds of his introduction as his long throw-in caused problems in the home defence.
The ball found its way to the righthand side of the Crook area and fell to the feet of Round – but his curling cross-shot struck the far post and narrowly evaded the lurking Kevin Burgess, before nestling into the grateful arms of Makepeace.
However, there was nothing
that
the Crook stopper could do to prevent his side falling behind just before the hour mark, as the visitors were awarded a penalty for a foul on Gott.
The Marske stalwart dusted himself down and stepped up to send Makepeace the wrong way from the spot to finally break the deadlock.
Gott was handed another chance from 12 yards less than 10 minutes later after Alex Wilson brought down Adam Boyes when the veteran frontman was in on goal.
But this time, it was Makepeace who had the upperhand – in fact getting a solid hand to Gott’s spot-kick to keep his side in the game.
A crucial minute of action was played out as the game headed into
its last quarter of an hour. Firstly, Marske went close to doubling their leads as the ever-dangerous Boyes managed to flick a cross goalwards – but his effort was tipped onto the crossbar by the fingertips of Makepeace.
Boosted by that let-off, Crook broke at pace and could and should have levelled – but Daniel Kent was unable to convert a pinpoint Christian Holliday cross from close range.
The game was realistically all but over as a contest with just over ten minutes remaining, as Seasiders defender Kevin Burgess grabbed his side’s second goal of the day.
The former Whitby Town and Darlington centre-back had been denied by a fine reaction save from Makepeace less than 60 seconds earlier – but made no mistake as he fired in from close-range after a scramble inside the six-yard box.
That killed off Crook and their brave efforts to reach the first qualifying round of the competition for the first time in six years.
Marske deserved their win and will rightfully take their place in tomorrow’s draw – but they left Millfield knowing they had been given a severe test by their hosts.
CROOK TOWN: Makepeace, Crossen, Verity, Fielding, Elgie, Myers (Wilson), Hillerby, Johnston, Maddison (Halliday), Nicholson (Kent), Smith Subs: Eltringham, Hume, Tumilty
MARSKE UNITED: Catterick, May (Tymon), Round, Butterworth, Burgess, Wheatley, Smith, Gott, Boyes, Johnson(o’sullivan (Blackford)), Maloney Subs: Garbutt, Hood, Wrightson