Shildon AFC marched into the Durham Challenge Cup final after a 4-1 thumping of Hebburn Town of the Northern Premier League Premier Division on Tuesday evening at Dean Street.
Shildon will face Whickham in the final after their ten men defeated FC Hartlepool 1-3 in the other semi-final on the same night.
Shildon last competed in the final in 2018/19 when they overcame South Shields at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light to lift the trophy for the third time in five seasons.
The visitors named a number of former Shildon players in their squad, including Aidan Heywood and Amar Purewal in the starting line-up and Joe Posthill and former player-manager, Daniel Moore on the bench.
Purewall who gave the visitors the lead in the 11th minute, but two own goals either side of half time, from Jack Donaghy (45+1) and Michael Turner (49) turned the game on its head.
Two further goals, Nathan Greenwood (57) and Billy Greulich Smith (86) saw the Railwaymen through to their fourth County Cup final in the past eleven seasons.
In fixtures news, the postponed game away to Whitley Bay FC has been re-arranged for Saturday 1 February, which means the home tie against Seaham Red Star has moved from the 1st to Saturday 1 March. Both are scheduled to kick-off at 3pm.
And in a coincidence of scheduling, the two cup finalists will face each other on league duty this weekend when Shildon travel to Whickham in search of three points in the title race before hosting West Allotment Celtic on Tuesday evening.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
