So it was FA Vase Quarter Finals day and I was making the long journey North East for my first visit to Mariners Park, home of Northern League Division One South Shields as they hosted United Counties Premier Newport Pagnell Town.
The home side were the only Northern League side left in the competition and had the favourites tag around their neck for not only this tie but also the whole tournament itself. They knew they would have to treat the visitors with the up-most respect though having seen the Milton Keynes side dispatch fellow Northern League side Sunderland RCA, a team who had held Shields to a 2-2 draw in the league, in the previous round.
However an expectant record crowd of 3,161 crammed into Mariners Park and were almost stunned into silence in just the second minute when the visitors almost got the ideal start when Elliott Sandy controlled a pass and finished past keeper Liam Connell, but the officials had spotted that he had controlled the pass with his arm so the goal was chalked off.
And moments later the hosts found that early goal they so desperately craved when David Foley curled a brilliant effort in off the post to turn up the volume inside the ground. And four minutes later it got even better for the North East side when Wayne Phillips hit an absolute beauty from range to double their lead and the home fans were now bouncing.
It had been an absolute disastrous start for the underdogs who were in danger of being embarrassed as they were getting totally overrun and on 14 minutes hosts full back Craig Baxter forced keeper Mark Osborne into a decent save after a bursting run forward. And midway through the half the hosts did add a third when a corner swung in found centre half Dylan Morse totally free to power home a header as the hosts were in total control.
And on 25 minutes Shields made it four with yet another unbelievable finish as Robert Briggs hit an unstoppable effort into the top corner and even the home crowd around me were in awe of their own side who were putting on one hell of a show for their record home crowd. The visitors had been blown away inside the opening half hour and just had no answer to the hosts who had given them a footballing lesson and had the tie won all bar the shouting.
Half Time South Shields 4 Newport Pagnell Town 0
The one thing Newport Pagnell had to do was try and dig in in the second forty five and make sure it didn’t turn into a major embarrassment and for the opening fifteen minutes of the half the visitors did have more possession but the hosts tempo had dropped somewhat after such a magnificent first half showing and the game had taken on a going through the motions sort of feel you could say.
The hosts had almost become sloppy at times and just past the hour mark Newport should of had a goal back as sloppy defending allowed Darryl Smith in but saw his effort eventually blocked, and then twenty minutes into the half the hosts made it five from nowhere when afterGavin Cogdon was brought down for a penalty, he picked himself up to convert the spot kick and it was party time at Mariners Park.
The hosts were now right back on the front foot again and in the 69th minute a wonderful move ended with Andrew Stephenson blasting over for the hosts however a minute later another wonderful move from Shields ended with Stephenson flicking the ball up to Cogdon to volley home first time in sublime fashion and bring up the home sides sixth.
Shields continued to search for more goals and saw Carl Finnigan get in on goal in the 77th minute but saw the defence gets back to block effort and then five minutes later they went closer still to a seventh when after another chance saw an effort blocked, Foley drilled an effort against the post.
A couple of minutes later Newport saw Sandy hit a weak effort straight at host keeper Connell, and that was the first effort on target from the visitors since that 2nd minute disallowed goal, it really had been one way traffic for the most part. Foley found himself in again but saw visiting keeper Osborne eventually block his effort and then came a rare high for Newport when they did manage to end the game with a goal as Sandy curled a decent effort into the top corner which brought cheers from home fans who could now feel sympathy for the demoralised Pagnell side.
The referee brought proceedings to a close soon after and South Shields now take their place in the Last Four and only one two legged semi-final away from Wembley and on this showing will take some stopping. Commiserations to Newport Pagnell Town who came up against a side who were a class apart today. To reach the Last Eight is still a great achievement though so they should be applauded for that.
Full Time South Shields 6 Newport Pagnell Town 1
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