Shildon suffered a shock midweek cup exit on Tuesday night at the hands of Crook Town, who prevailed in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw in the quarter finals of the Durham Challenge Cup.
The Railwaymen fielded a strong starting line up but could not find a way past the resolute visitors, who were promoted to Northern League Division One last season.
The Black and Ambers survived a late second half onslaught to take the tie to sudden death penalties.
Shildon were immediately handed the initiative when Shaun Newbrook saved the opening spot kick, but threw away the advantage with two penalties blazed over the bar by the normally reliable Dean Thexton and Joe Posthill.
Crook converted all their remaining penalties to record a 4-2 win and march on to the semi-finals.
The defeat was the Railwaymen’s second scoreless home draw in three days, having recorded a 0-0 result in the league on Saturday against Ossett United.
It proved another ill-disciplined affair in which Shildon’s Dean Thexton and Luke Hogg for the
visitors were shown straight red cards in the 77th minute to add to the Railwaymen’s tally of reds for the season.
Perhaps the highlight for Shildon came post match on the news that all of their play-off rivals had also failed to win their fixtures.
Shildon remain in the final play-off spot, three points ahead of Worksop Town who have a game in hand.
This weekend, Shildon travel to Hebburn Town to take on their former Northern League rivals, currently 12th in the table.
With the Northern Premier League East comprising an odd number of clubs, Shildon will sit out the following weekend’s fixtures, returning to action away in Sheffield on Saturday 5 March.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
