Shildon AFC celebrated a successful pre-season trip to Scotland by returning home with the James ‘Hammy’ Glen Memorial Cup after a four-team two-day tournament in North Ayrshire.
The Railwaymen were invited to join three Scottish Junior clubs – the Scottish equivalent level to England’s non-league football – in the James Glen Memorial Tournament, hoasted by Kilbirnie Ladeside FC who play in the West Super League Premier Division.
Also participating in the tournament were Wishaw Juniors FC and Shildon’s Saturday opponents, Rutherglen Glencairn – the defending tournament champions.
The tournament format meant that the winners of Saturday’s matches would meet in the final on Sunday while the losers would compete in the 3rd/4th place play-off game.
Ladeside were first to take the field on Saturday, playing Wishaw Juniors, and the tournament hosts ensured they would be playing for the trophy on Sunday with a comfortable 3-1 win.
Shildon were next up playing cup holders, Rutherglen Glencairn.
In an even, no-scoring first half, it was Glencairn who came closest when a shot from distance was tipped onto and over the bar by the Railwaymen’s new ‘keeper, Nick Liversedge.
Early in the second half it was Shildon who took the lead when the assistant awarded a dubious penalty after the ball appeared to strike a defender’s thigh.
Anthony Bell stepped forward and converted the penalty with ease, sending the ‘keeper the wrong way.
Shildon then took control of the game and looked like they would coast to the win until a calamitous mix-up at the back allowed Del McNab to steal the ball and smash it into an empty net.
With no further scoring, penalties were required to decide the outcome and it was Shildon, with a perfect conversion rate who knocked out the holders 5-4 and progressed to the final, Anthony Dempsey the unlucky player hitting the woodwork with Glencairn’s second penalty.
After an exciting 3rd/4th place play-off, edged 3-2 by Glencairn after coming back from a 2-0 deficit, it was on to the final between the hosts and the furthest travelled.
Shildon started well, dominating long spells of the first half, but were unable to make the breakthrough their play deserved.
Ladeside came out in the second half looking to assert home advantage and forced an excellent reaction stop from Liversedge from a close range volley.
But Shildon patiently made their way back into the game and, in the 70th minute, opened the scoring when Mickey Rae guided home a Mark Doninger pass.
Four minutes later the same pair combined after Bobby Moore returned a cleared corner into the box for Rae’s and Shildon’s second. With time running out, Ladeside again forced an excellent low stop from Liversedge.
With four minutes remaining, a defence-splitting ball found Doninger, who bore down on goal before slotting Shildon’s third and sealing the match and the tournament for the Railwaymen.
And there was further good news for the Northern League champions this week when David Ferguson, last season’s Blackpool captain, signed for the club on Tuesday 26th July, after starring in the weekend tournament. Ferguson, who played 40 times for Blackpool in League One last season, was without a club after being released by the crisis-hit Seasiders.
As from 6th August the Clubhouse will be open every Saturday from 12 noon until 11pm.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
