FA Vase: Shildon 1 Whitley Bay 5

Feb 28 2010 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

THIS is why more and more people are turning to the grassroots.

Six goals, two penalties, three sendings-off. And so much, much more.

For Shildon, there really is no place like away. Having played their last 18 Vase games on the road, a Dean Street homecoming was anything but happy. . . while only Whitley could make a 5-1 win against nine men stomach-churning.

So, while the Railwaymen hit the buffers, the Seahorses join Wroxham and Whitehawk – Norton’s game at Barwell was off – in the semis. Third year running now.

Mind, it scarcely looked that way after half an hour. Before a kick-off delayed 15 minutes to squeeze 1505 in, Chris Fawcett tweaked a hammy warming up and once matters were under way on a bog of a pitch, miraculously retrieved from submergence, the Bay seemed similarly hamstrung.

By contrast, Shildon shone. Warren Byrne and Danny Richmond went close before Sam Garvie tapped in on 21 minutes, after Terry Burke saved from Daniel Moore.

Bang went my ticket for the first goal (33 minutes).

Moments later Burke denied Richmond and Byrne fired over. Odds for 5-1 at that stage? Paddy Power would have laughed in your face.

Even when, on 26 minutes, Adam Johnston arrowed the visitors’ first effort high and wide, Whitley bore the look of a side still at their hotel. Or fresh from Eric’s Fish Bar (huge portions, whale and chips).

Then though, the game changed. First, Whitley switched from 4-3-2-1 to 3-5-2, and got numbers forward. Immediately, a Paul Robinson free-kick was half-cleared and, as Phil Brumwell lunged to block Johnston, his studs caught the striker.

It looked a foul, probably a booking. Yorkshire referee Richard West went further. Penalty, off. And though keeper Keith Finch got a touch to it, Paul Chow scored from the spot.

Now Whitley might say otherwise, but Shildon said that changed the game. Certainly, thereafter it was a different one.

Suddenly, the “character” called for amid a midweek players’ meeting convened at their own behest was there to see, confidence restored, a spring in their step. Shildon withdrew into themselves.