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Dunston Fed 3 Marske Utd 0, (AET) 18th November 2008, Northern League Cup

It took 120 cold minutes for Fed to make league cup progress at Fed Park. Both clubs came into the games on a high after recent good runs and having good away wins in the Vase on Saturday. Fed could have been a goal up after only 30 seconds when a hopeful long ball was flicked into the path of Wells who beat the offside trap and flicked the ball over the advancing keeper Ledgeway but it went wide. Fed had more of the possession earlier on but had to wait until 11 minutes when Steven Brown shot on the turn but harmlessly over. It took 20 minutes for the games first shot on target when Logan beat a defender 25 yards out and hit a shot which was straight at the keeper. There was further danger for the visitors 2 minutes later when they gave away the ball on the edge of the area to Brown but Anthony Roberts got in a saving tackle for a corner. As the half progressed Marske got more and more into the game but although both sides were trying ambitious long efforts neither keeper was really troubled. After 37 Fed had a good little period of possession on the edge of the Marske area which ended with the ball being cleared to Dixon on the edge of the area whose shot was both high and wide. Then Marske had a chance when former Fed frontman Ben Thompson received the ball in good space on the left but shot over. The first half ended with Fed having slightly more of the possession but other than Wells’ first minute effort there were no real clear chances.

The second half started in similar manner – the visitors had the first chance of the half when Wesson had an effort blocked by Robson and fell nicely back into his path but he shot over with the second attempt. Fed had a good chance after 52 when Logan put in a good low cross from the right which was met by a diving header from Sheeran and from where I was looked good but went just wide of the far post. Fed had a half chance after 70 when Brown connected onto a 30 yards free-kick but narrowly cleared the bar. With just over 5 minutes remaining and legs tiring Fed brought on Fergal Harkin. An extra 30 minutes in the cold could have been avoided when Bulford left the defence and one-on-one with the keeper narrowly missed the target.

Within a minute of the start of extra time Fed went ahead from a left-sided corner which took a couple of flicks before ending up in the net from close range. Nobody appeared to have seen who got the final touch but initially it was claimed by Bulford (then again he’s a forward and would have probably claimed it if he had been on the bench) eventually the goal was awarded to Castledine. People were still returning to their seats when the game was virtually sealed when Bulford found himself in space and made no mistake with only the keeper to beat. There were many shouts for offside especially by people in the stands but I was right in line with this incident and it looked to me as one defender had not come out and played Bully on. To their credit the 2nd division side still did not give in an had a great chance a minute later when a good low cross found sub Peirson in yards of space and though he got in a hard, low shot Poskett made a great save. However a minute later Bulford once again was found in yards of space and again gave Ledgeway no chance and the game was now over. The 2nd half ET was really going through the motions Dixon shot over with a half volley from 10 yards and from a Harkin corner the keeper failed to correct cleanly and the ball fell to Young who shot on the turn but Ledgeway recovered to save. 3-0 was very harsh on the visitors who had been a good match for the Fed certainly for the first 90 and look as though they would be a good addition to the first division. The difference may have been the strength of the Fed’s bench especially with extra time needing to be played. Finally apologies to Marske Skipper Mark Taylor who I did not recognise until the bar afterwards although maybe that is where I am more used to seeing him.

Fed: Poskett, O’Bern, Pickering, Robson, Cattanach, Young, Brown, Dixon, Sheeran, Logan, Wells (Subs Harkin, Bulford, Clark, Castledene Anderson)

Marske: Ledgeway, Roberts, Janes, Swalwell, Wilson, Taylor, Dewing, Kasonali, Thompson, Wesson, Gamble (Subs Herbert, Pierson, Erskine, Burton)

Attempts: Fed 25 Marske 12 – On target Fed 9 Marske 3, Corners Fed 4 Marske 4, Fouls committed Fed 10 Marske 12, Offisde Fed 3 Marske 2

Fed up Man of the Match – although he only came on as sub the general opinion was Andrew Bulford