Report: Spennymoor Town Under 18’s 1-1 Gateshead Under 18’s (4-5 on pens)

  • Wilkinson header puts Moors in charge
  • Pani heads in from corner to level in second half
  • Alderson adjudged to be off line after crucial penalty save
  • Wilson saves Haynes’ spot kick

Attendance: 322

(Gateshead win 5-4 on penalites)

Spennymoor Town Under 18s 1

Wilkinson 32

Gateshead Under 18s 1

Pani 55

Moors were on the wrong end of a controversial decision as they exited the FA Youth Cup following a dramatic penalty shootout with Gateshead.

Harry Alderson’s save gave Sam Peat the chance to send Spennymoor through, however, following a delay and conversation between the officials, a retake was ordered which changed the momentum of the contest.

Sam Haynes’ penalty was saved by Wilson, sending the Heed through in contentious circumstances.

This followed a tie packed with intensity, chances and high quality football, with the score level at 1-1 after 90 minutes.

The game began in frantic fashion, with Moors forging out a good opening when a low ball almost found the lively Sam Haynes, but a last ditch clearance denied him a certain opener.

That woke the visitors into life, with Moors goalkeeper Harry Alderson taking centre stage with two quickfire saves.

First, he denied Heed forward Magalhaes after a long ball over the top found him, before he flung a glove to divert Plunkett’s header away from goal.

The intense nature of the tie dampened as the game grew into a more settled pattern, but chances still arrived for both sides.

Sam Peat came the closest to breaking the deadlock following some individual brilliance, but his curling effort from the edge of the area struck the post.

Moors didn’t have to wait long to celebrate the opener however, with George Wilkinson expertly looping a header into the corner following a deep free-kick.

Peat had another great opportunity to double Moors’ lead just before the interval, only to see his strike saved by Wilson.

Peat’s one man mission to get on the scoresheet continued into the second half, with his latest effort finding the net, only for a linesman’s flag to deny him.

Gateshead levelled ten minutes after the restart, with the towering Pani heading past Alderson from a corner.

Alderson won the next battle between himself and Heed goal scorer Pani, tipping a stinging free-kick over the bar.

Moors responded immediately, going close when the hard working Sam Haynes was denied by a solid Wilson save.

The game was in the balance for the remaining twenty minutes, with both sides creating half chances, with a lack of final product preventing further goals.

Charlie Wood had an opening deep into stoppage time when a near post free-kick dropped to him, but he could only guide the ball over the bar.

That signalled the end of normal time and a tense penalty shoot out in front of a crowd of 322.

Moors led the shootout in sudden death after Tiplady saw his spot kick saved by Alderson, however, after the linesman spoke to the referee, a retake was ordered for Moors’ keeper being off his line.

Tiplady maintained his composure to score at the second attempt, switching the momentum and balance in Gateshead’s favour.

Peat and Magalaheas exhanged succesful spot kicks before Wilson denied Haynes, sending the visitors through to the next round to face Blyth.

Spennymoor Town Under 18s: Alderson, Errington, Heggarty (Burgin), Wood, Wilkinson, Carr, Evans, Calendar (Pegram), Hind, Haynes, Peat.

Subs not used: Upperton, Lewer, Patterson, Gray.

Gateshead Under 18s: S.Wilson, R.Wilson, Metcalfe, Bradley, Plunkett, Bowers, Lowden, Pani, Magalhaes, Willoughby, Statton.

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