Shildon captain, Mark Hudson reflects on the Railwaymen’s Durham Challenge Cup semi final win over Consett and looks to the league campaign ahead.
The semi final victory means Shildon will play in their first cup final since 2007-08 with local rivals, Spennymoor Town the opponents.
The final date remains to be officially confirmed, but is expected to be played on Good Friday, 18 April, at the Eppleton Colliery Football Ground, Hetton Le Hole, with an 11am kick off
Shildon manager, Gary Forrest reflects on tonight’s Durham Challenge Cup semi final win over Consett.
The victory means Shildon will play in their first cup final since 2007 with local rivals, Spennymoor Town the opponents.
The final will be played on Good Friday, 18 April, at the Eppleton Colliery Football Ground, Hetton Le Hole.
Cup fever is gripping Shildon as the Railwaymen prepare to take on Consett in the Durham Challenge Cup semi final in a 7.30pm kick off tonight at Dean Street.
Tonight’s match gives Shildon the chance to reach a domestic cup final for the first time since the 2007-08 League Cup final. The League Cup is also the last trophy the Railwaymen won, in 2002-03.
The Railwaymen have not won the Durham Challenge Cup since 1972, but are hoping to write a new page in the history of the club this season.
If the match lives up to every other round contested by both sides this season, it should be a thrilling encounter: Consett have scored four goals in every round, knocking out a strong Hartlepool United side along the way, while all of Shildon’s matches so far have been extended into extra time, with the Railwaymen requiring penalties to finally see off Norton & Stockton Ancients in the first round.
Tonight’s match must also be won on the night, so if the scores are level after 90 minutes, extra time will be required and then, if needed, a penalty shootout.
Entry to tonight’s match is £6 adults, £4 concessions and under 12s are free with a paying adult.
So come along and cheer the lads into a Good Friday local derby final, where Spennymoor Town await tonight’s winners!
Highlights of Shildon’s dramatic 2-1 extra-time win over Dunston UTS in the Durham Challenge Cup quarter final at Dean Street on Wednesday night, 19 February. The Railwaymen, who finished the match with ten men, will now face Consett at Dean Street for a place in the final.
Steven Johnson made a welcome – and scoring – return debut at Dean Street as The Railwaymen took on the Terriers in Ebac Northern League Division One.
A dream start saw Johnson score a first minute opener in a game in which the home side were rarely troubled. Second half goals from Sam Garvie and a second from Johnson made sure Shildon collected all three points to keep their title dreams on track.
Shildon’s Durham Challenge Cup Semi Final tie against Consett has been brought forward to next Wednesday after Consett’s players had arranged time off to attend Sunderland’s League Cup Final match at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 2nd March.
While the Northern League and Durham FA had agreed to the unusual arrangement of scheduling the match for Saturday 1st March – unusual because Durham Challenge Cup matches are usually played midweek under floodlights – it appears that Consett, under the impression they had a free Saturday, had given their players permission to arrange tickets for Sunderland’s big day in the capital the following afternoon.
The match has now been brought forward and will take place in the traditional manner, under floodlights, on Wednesday 26th February at 7.30pm, meaning that Shildon’s league match against Guisborough has had to be postponed to a later date.
The mix-up also means that Shildon will now have a free Saturday on March 1st.
Defender Carl Jones blasted Shildon into the semi finals of the Durham Challenge Cup with his first goal of the season in another dramatic extra time win for the Railwaymen.
The home side came from a goal behind at half time to march on in the cup where they will host Consett at Dean Street for a place in the final. Shildon, who were knocked out at the semi-final stage last season by FA Vase winners, Spennymoor Town, last won the tournament in 1972.
On a heavy, bumpy surface, it was the visitors who took the lead when Bulford converted after replacement goalkeeper, Keith Finch’s tipped save onto the bar rebounded kindly for the Dunston player, who had the simple task of converting from six yards. Finch was deputising for Lewis Graham, who is serving a two match suspension after his red card at Celtic Nation.
After the break, Shildon took the game to the opposition and were rewarded for their persistence when Mark Hudson found Sam Garvie with a neatly lobbed through ball on 65 minutes, the striker finishing well first time from the edge of the box.
The game flowed from end to end with both sides having chances to win the tie before the extra time period, but neither could find the decisive goal.
And so it was a third extra time period in the Railwaymen’s three rounds of the Durham Challenge Cup so far this season. Both sides continued to press, but it was the home side who made the breakthrough in the 100th minute. A shot from distance by captain, Mark Hudson was tipped away for a corner, which was taken quickly. Ben Wood turned his marker on the by line before sending over a ball which defender Carl Jones swept emphatically home.
But there remained time for controversy when Darren Richardson, who had been booked earlier in the game, was shown his second yellow card on the stroke of half time in extra time. The defender appeared to have eyes only for the ball, but the referee sent him from the field after his high boot connected with his opponent. Shildon Assistant Manager, Stuart Niven was also sent from the dugout for remonstrating with the referee.
The Railwaymen were forced to play the final period of extra time with ten men – the third match in a row in which they have ended the game with reduced numbers – but the ten men held on for a hard fought win.
Shildon will now face Consett at Dean Street for a place in the final, with West Auckland and Spennymoor contesting the other semi final.
Tonight’s scheduled Durham Challenge Cup tie between Shildon and Durham, which was switched to the UTS Stadium, has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Dunston.
The club will announce the date of the re-scheduled match in due course.
Shildon can confirm that the cub has agreed with Dunston and the Durham FA to reverse the Durham Challenge Cup quarter final tie, originally scheduled to take place at Dean Street, after two attempts to play the match ended with postponements as a result of a waterlogged pitch.
The match has now been rescheduled to take place on Tuesday evening (11th February) at the UTS Stadium in Dunston, with kick off due at 7.30pm. The tie remains at the mercy of the weather and updates regarding any potential third postponement will be announced if necessary.
For the fastest news on postponements, follow the club on twitter.
Meanwhile, the draw for the semi-finals has taken place and the winners of this tie have been rewarded with a home draw.
The complete draw is:
Shildon or Dunston v Consett
West Auckland v Spennymoor Town