Hexham fall in NFA Minor Cup 3rd Round

Cullercoates are doing well in the first Division and have improved their squad with some talented new faces.

In the League last season Hexham upset the team from coast by taking all three points and this side came looking for revenge.

After the last pitch inspection the pitch was fine but the rain had increased so hopefully it would stand up to the elements.

Hexham were missing a couple of regulars and with a couple of team members suffering the after effects of the cold bug this was to be difficult afternoon.

Both sides started well with chances falling to both teams with the conditions playing apart with the ball zipping across the surface.

The first goal was a comedy of errors by the Hexham defence. A back pass was a little short and as keeper Sean Heads came out to tidy up, his clearance struck the back of Craig Deighton who was closing down quickly.

The ball then agonisingly looped over Sean's head and into the goal. This was unlucky as Hexham had competed well until that point.

Heads may have dropped a little but thankfully for Hexham Sean did not dwell on his misfortune and was soon keeping the tie alive keeping it tight at the back, one save especially diving to his right hand side when a goal looked certain.

Cullercoates sensed this game was theirs for the taking and had the better of the first half with some good chances missed and Sean again performing well.

It looked as if Hexham had withstood the pressure but in the final moments of the first half it all came undone. Craig Deighton managed to run unchallenged into the box and score when a challenge could and should have been made.

Strong words from the coach at half time but these were not really required as the team knew they had let themselves down in the first half.

With the rain still falling the second half was much better for the home side, the midfield began to get into the game and strikers Griffiths and Strachan getting into the game. The defence were holding well with Turner, Cox and Brown combining well as a unit.

This was the only one of the few matches which survived in the Minor Cup and the touchline bristled with senior officials of the Northern Alliance, as they had all been looking for their Saturday fix of grassroots football.

They were not to be disappointed as the match had a grandstand finish. Hexham welcomed back Tony Lancaster after a serious knee injury which had kept him sidelined for over a year, with twenty minutes left on the clock he got his chance.

Within moments he had pounced on a loose ball, turned his marker and crashed a fantastic shot which crashed off the underside of the crossbar and into the net. Visiting keeper Andrew Wedgewood made a desperate effort to stop the shot but was unable to get anywhere near it.

This lifted Hexham and they set off looking for the equaliser which would take the match into extra time. Cullercoates also raised their efforts as the fear of another thirty minutes did not appeal. In the end there was to be no more goals but this was down to the woodwork and some excellent work by both defences.

Stephen Brown put a tremendous ninety minutes in and he won the Man of the match but could have been either of his colleagues at the back or keeper Heads who shuck off his first half disappointment and performed well overall.

But as the referees whistle blew for time no one could argue that Cullercoates deserved their place in the fourth round draw but Hexham could also take heart from their second half display.