Shildon moved into the semi-finals of the Durham Challenge Cup, beating Spennymoor Town 3-2.
Spennymoor took the lead through Bradley Fewster only for Cameron Tague to unfortunately level when his back pass bobbled over the keepers foot into his own net.
Anthony Peacock then gave Shildon the lead for a few minutes before Junior Mondal equalised. Adam Burnicle finished the scoring with 15 minutes left.
The Quarter Final of the Durham Challenge Cup against Spennymoor Town will now be played at Dean Street on Wednesday 31st January.
Our game against Whitley Bay which was due to be played on that date has now been moved to Wednesday 21st March
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Shildon AFC Reach Second Successive County Cup Final
Shildon AFC reached the final of the Durham Challenge Cup for the 2nd year running with a 2 – 1 away win at Spennymoor Town on Tuesday 3rd March 2015.
Tonight’s game was a re-run of last season’s final which the Railwaymen won by the same 2 – 1 score line at Billingham Synthonia’s ground on Good Friday.
Both side have made light work of reaching this stage of the competition as neither side had conceded a goal, with Spennymoor able to play every round at home at the Brewery Field.
Shildon stunned Moors with an early goal on just 7 minutes when Mark Doninger picked up the ball unchallenged and fired home a low right foot shot from 20 yards.
On 22 minutes Paul Connor was clean through for the second time with Moors advancing keeper Luke Coddington bringing him down for a clear penalty which Lee Scroggins tucked away for 2 – 0 to the visitors.
Half Time: Spennymoor Town 0 Shildon AFC 2
Moors looked far more threatening in the 2nd half and on 53 minutes they pulled a goal back in a goalmouth scramble with Liam Henderson, Michael Roberts and Anthony Peacock all having shots blocked before Peacock forced the ball home from 6 yards.
Despite all the home side’s pressure they didn’t seriously trouble the Shildon defence apart from a John McReady shot on 62 minutes and in the final minute the same player McReady forced Shildon keeper to pull off a one handed save.
Final Score: Spennymoor Town 1 Shildon AFC 2
Goalscorers: Doninger 7, Scroggins 23.
Subs: Richardson for Brackstone 61, Rae for Wood 67, Ellison for Doninger 79.
Bookings: (Y) Moore 45, Jones 88.
After the match manager Gary Forrest said “We dug in and defended well as a team. I thought the two centre halves were outstanding tonight”.
The final will be played at the Hetton Centre on Good Friday
Team
1) Kyle Hayes
2) Jamie Harwood
3) John Brackstone
4) Lee Scroggins
5) Carl Jones
6) Daniel Moore
7) Mark doninger
8) Sam Hodgson
9) Paul Connor
10) Ben wood
11) Billy Greulich-Smith
Subs
12) Michael Rae on for Wood
14) Lee Chapman
15) Darren Craddock
16) Marc Ellison on for Doninger
17) Darren Richardson on for Brackstone
Yellow
Daniel Moore
Carl Jones
Tom Clegg’s photos of Shildon’s historic 2-1 triumph over Spennymoor Town in the Durham Challenge Cup Final on Good Friday, 18th April, are now available to enjoy on Flickr:
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The 41-year wait is over and Shildon AFC are once more Champions of Durham!
A stunning late comeback with two Billy Greulich-Smith goals snatched the Durham FA Challenge Cup from Spennymoor Town’s grasp at Central Avenue Stadium in Billingham this lunchtime.
Spennymoor took a 1-0 lead into the interval when Keith Graydon scored just before the break and it must have looked like their name was on the cup when Ben Wood’s goal just after the restart was ruled out for offside.
With 15 minutes remaining, Spennymoor could have wrapped the match up, but the woodwork prevented them doubling their lead.
It was a chink of hope for Shildon, and with just eight minutes remaining, the Railwaymen forced their way back into the game when Billy Greulich-Smith equalised.
And with extra time looming, up popped Billy again to turn the game on its head and give Shildon the lead with seconds remaining!
The three minutes of injury time were the longest in many a Shildon fan’s lifetime, but there was no way back for Spennymoor and when the referee blew the final whistle, Shildon were crowned champions of Durham!
The fans and players will undoubtedly celebrate well into the night and will be looking to ensure it is not another 41 years before the feat is repeated!
For now, congratulations to Gary, Stuart, Phil, Keith, Dean and Amy and all the lads for a magnificent effort and thank you to all the fans who turned out to support the side, as well as all the fans looking out for updates around the world on a day that will be written permanently into the history of Shildon Football Club.
And in case you all missed it first time around, here it is again: Shildon are the 2013-14 Durham Challenge Cup Champions!
After the game, Wilf Tray caught up with the winning goalscorer, Billy Grulich-Smith and manager Gary Forrest. This is what they had to say:
https://shildonafc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Billy-Gary.mp3
Tom Clegg’s photos from Shildon’s Ebac Northern League Division One clash with Spennymoor Town. A dramatic ending, with Shildon reduced to ten me, enabled the Moors to snatch a late draw.
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Highlights of Shildon’s top of the table clash with Spennymoor Town at Dean Street on Saturday 8 February 2014. Shildon took a 1-0 lead into the half time break after Mark Hudson’s opener, but eventually accepted a 1-1 draw after being reduced to ten men on 70 minutes and conceding an equaliser with 15 minutes remaining. But the Railwaymen held on for a deserved draw to remain second in the league table.
Gary Forrest has been talking about the Railwaymen’s upcoming league matches against two of their title rivals, and the pressure is on the opposition, he says.
“On Saturday we visit Celtic Nation for the first of two back to back games against sides challenging us for the league title,” says the Shildon manager.
“If I’m honest all the pressure is on Celtic Nation for this game. They are the team that everyone expects big things of. They are by far the strongest team in the league on paper and, more importantly, if they lose this game they will trail us by 5 points and we will have two games in hand, and that lead could therefore extend to about 9-10 points with Nation having just 12 games remaining.
“If we averaged the same amount of points in our final 12 games as we have for the season to date it would mean that they will have to win every game until the season finishes.
Gary added that the squad is in good spirits, insisting that the league title is the club’s primary aim.
“Our attitude is superb at the minute and I love these big games: it is what the game is all about. There is a great buzz about the place at the minute and the quality of our training is superb.
“I have said since the start of pre-season – despite what the nonleaguezone [online forum] experts claim – that our main objective is to try and win the league this season.
Gary says that the challenge is so great this season that winning the league will be a special achievement for whoever lifts the trophy.
“This is the strongest the league has been for many a season,” he says. “Over the last few years either Spennymoor have dominated or it has been a two horse race. This season there are four fantastic teams challenging for the title and that means there will be 12 games this season that can be classed as six pointers. Last season there were two, but there is more of an equilibrium of budgets this season, with all four sides having strength in depth.
“We have all witnessed West’s demolition of teams two levels higher in the pyramid and Celtic Nation are signing experienced, established players on loan from the likes of Bristol Rovers. I think it is fair to say that any one of the top four would be more than capable of competing at least two levels higher up the pyramid; and it is for the reasons above that I personally believe that this is the most difficult season for many a year to become league champions.
“Whoever comes out on top can proudly boast of a fabulous achievement.”
