Robins into FA Vase quarters
IT’S been a canny old week for the people of North Shields.
Firstly, hometown hero Sam Fender triumphantly returned from London with a Brit Award in hand and duly celebrated late into the night at the Lowlights Tavern.
And that might not be the only silverware returning to the town after goals from Chris Mcdonald and Dan Wilson found the net to see off Rugby Town and help North Shields into the last eight of the FA Vase.
The Robins made a confident start to the game and their early persistence paid off as they took lead with just ten minutes on the clock.
Left-back Chris Mcdonald collected a pass midway inside the visitors half and rolled the ball into Dan Wilson before taking a return pass from the striker.
The defender took his time before curling a sumptuous effort beyond Town keeper Ashley Bodycote and inside his near post.
There was some confusion as the ball hit a wheel inside the goal before rebounding out – but the goal was confirmed by the officials after a short delay.
Marc Nash’s men always looked the more likely of the two sides with Mcdonald and fellow full-back Andrew Cartwright prominent in their attacking play.
It was the latter who thought he’d earned a penalty midway through the half after he was brought down by Jamie Hancocks.
However, referee Paul Cooper waved away the protests after correctly ruling the Rugby defender had got the ball first.
The official was pointing to the spot less than 60 seconds later as he awarded a spot-kick to the visitors.
A Caine Elliott shot was misjudged by Robins keeper Ollie Marshall, who then brought down David Kolodynski as he chased down the rebound.
Edwin Ahenkorah stepped up to take the penalty and sent Marshall the wrong way, but could only watch on as his effort crept wide of the near post.
Buoyed by that let-off, the Robins had a dominant spell of play that ended with Wilson heading over from a Cartwright cross from the right-hand side. There was to be one final chance of an eventful first 45 minutes as Marshall atoned for his earlier error with a smart stop to deny Danico Johnson and preserve his side’s lead at half-time.
After a lethargic start to the secondhalf, it was the Robins that could and should have doubled their lead as the hour-mark approached.
Visitors keeper Bodycote got himself into a mess as he hashed a clearance and Brad Hird looked set to make the most of a gift.
The former Shildon man rounded the number one and struck a shot against the only defender on the line.
The loose ball fell back to Hird but he was off-target with his second effort inside a matter of seconds.
With their visitors offering minimal threat going forwards, it always looked likely that it would be Nash’s side that would grab the next goal of the game.
That finally arrived with 15 minutes remaining when Wilson flicked on a long throw-in and it’s struck the hand of defender Jamal Clarke.
Wilson stepped up to take the penalty and made no mistake, sending
Bodycote the wrong way with a calmly-taken spot-kick. That killed off any hope of a comeback from Rugby and North Shields comfortably saw out the remainder of the tie and all eyes quickly turned towards Monday’s quarter-final draw as soon as the fulltime whistle was blown.
Are North Shields in with a chance of winning this season’s Vase?
In the words of one of Fender’s latest releases, aye!
NORTH SHIELDS: Marshall, Cartwright, Mcdonald, Ormston, Myers, Walker, Robinson, Van-zandvliet (Smith), Wilson, Carr, Hird (Norvell) Subs: Leonard, Bexton, Turner, Walker, Purvis
RUGBY TOWN: Bodycote, Summerfield, Hankcocks, Rosser, Clarke, Fitzharris, Johnson, Elliot, Kolodynski, Johnson (Marsden), Ahenkorah Subs:, Francis, Parker, Thomas