Newton Aycliffe WMC 3, Winlaton Commercial 1 (after extra-time)
FA Carlsberg Sunday Cup Round One
By Paul McGeary at Moore Lane Park
Jason Steele’s Sunday pub team won their historic All England Cup game at home to Winlaton Commercial.
Newton Aycliffe Working Men’s Club, managed by the Boro and England Under-21 goalkeeper, booked their place in the second round of the FA Carlsberg Sunday Cup with a hard-fought, extra-time victory over the Blaydon-based side.
Steele, who arrived shortly after kick-off after his morning training session with Boro, watched on as his side claimed an historic win in what was a nail-biting affair at Newton Aycliffe FC’s Moore Lane Park.
Extra-time goals by Aaron Wright and Lewis Wing made for a comfortable scoreline in the end.
But Steele’s men trailed after Scott Martindale’s 53rd-minute goal, before Wing drew Aycliffe level with a 73rd-minute defelcted free-kick.
Both sides had chances to win it late on, but Aycliffe surged ahead in extra-time to book their second-round slot.
The home side got off to a bright start as Wing stung the keeper’s palms from 18 yards early on, and the attacking midfielder fired wide in the 18th minute.
Gareth Young made a fine save in the 28th minute, and he pulled off another great stop with five minutes of the first half remaining before Chase McMullen worked the visiting keeper at the other end.
The best chance of the game came in the 51st minute as Dale Burrell shot wide from six yards following a corner.
But Winlaton took the lead just two minutes later as Martindale carried the ball unchallenged from half way before firing low past Young from 15 yards.
Aycliffe tried to hit back, and in the 67th minute a great passing move between Anth Campbell, Wing and Stuart Owen culminated with Liam Cooper driving a left-footed effort over from 12 yards.
The equaliser came in the 73rd minute after Wing’s right-wing free-kick deflected off the back of a defender and into the top corner.
There was drama towards the end of normal time as the Winlaton keeper did well to deny Cooper at the near post, and in the last minute Winlaton hit Aycliffe on the counter but Kevin Jewitt hit tamely at Young.
Then in the third minute of injury-time, Winlaton’s Stephen Coates crashed the crossbar before Oliver headed the loose ball for a corner.
Aycliffe went close to edging it in the fourth minute of extra-time as Craig Rook cleared from under his own bar with Cooper lurking following a penalty-box melee.
The Club went ahead five minutes later after substitute Luke Black broke into the box and squared for Wright who lashed home, before Wing completed the scoring.
Aycliffe WMC: Young, Oliver, Campbell, Jackson (Wright, 91), Griffiths (Forrest, 59), A Robinson, Hanson (Black, 81), Owen, Cooper, Wing, McMullen.
Unused: Brassell, Strevens.
Attendance: 125