Navy Club 5, Bishop Auckland Aclet 4 (after extra-time)
Newton Aycliffe Navy Club faced Bishop Auckland Aclet next on their cup run with a away draw on a rainy and very muddy pitch.
Navy Club made two changes from the last game as Sam Richardson and Wayne Gough were dropped to the bench as Charlie fowler and Alex Fraser made the starting line-up.
This was always going to be a tough game as Aclet are known for being a very physical side, and it didn’t disappoint.
In the first 20 minutes the two sides cancelled each other out with little chances being made either end, until, a deflected shot from Aclet wrong footed keeper’ Jordan Steele who could only get a finger too it to push it onto the underside of the bar and in the back of the net to make it 1-0 to Aclet.
Navy Club began to get in the game with a few opening but came to nothing and the half finished 1-0.
Manager Kyle Robinson needing to make some changes brought on new boy Nathan Liddle for Liam Fenwick and Sam Richardson for Charlie Fowler.
The second half began how the first did, very physical, with Reece Gowing putting some hard challenges in to give Aclet something to think about.
Not long into the second half Aclet put a cross in which Ryan Coles could only make a deflection into the air and dropped above the keeper to make it 2-0 to Aclet.
Navy Club didn’t give up, though, as Gowing put a through ball to Richardson who rounded the keeper and slotted home to give the navy some hope.
The momentum seemed to switch to the Navy Club who kept on pressing and we’re rewarded when the ball broke free after a scuffle in the box and Richardson put it through the keepers legs to make it 2-2.
This seemed to get Aclets back up who we’re flying in with challenges from all angles and a few of their players picking up deserved yellow cards.
After the ball went out for a throw in to Aclet, their player purposely threw in into keiron cooks face and received a second yellow and was off!
As the rain got worse so did the pitch so the last thing the players needed was extra-time… but that’s what they got. Navy club took advantage of their extra man and shortly after the restart Billy Moir slotted the ball through to Richardson who shot into the bottom left corner to make it 3-2.
Five minutes after the Navy Club took the lead, Richardson took the ball in the centre of the park, drove forward and played a nice through ball to Moir who took his goal with composure and chipped the ball over the keeper to make it 4-2.
Into the second half of extra-time Navy Club kept on applying all the pressure which paid off when Richardson played a square ball over to Keiron Cook who made it 5-2.
This seemed to anger Aclet who took it out on Rasmussen with a knee high challenge which resulted in the player going off injured and replaced by Liam Bingham.
With only a few minutes left the Navy seemed to stop playing and let Aclet through twice to make it 5-4 but held on to book themselves a place in the semi-final.
Man-of-the-match was Matty Morgan who was outstanding all game.
