Shildon AFC’s season continues to suffer as the latest shock defeat inflicted on the league champions saw them dumped out of the Durham Challenge Cup at the quarter-finals stage against second division opposition on Wednesday 1st February.
Billingham Synthonia were the visitors to Dean Street and employed a high press and swift counter-attack from the first whistle.
The tactic, which took Shildon by surprise as early as last August against league newcomers, Ryhope CW, is a game plan that many opponents have since adopted and is one that Shildon have yet to find an answer to, not least due to the lumbering pace of a number of their ageing players.
Synthonia were soon rewarded for their courage in taking the game to their opponents, who are twice winners of the trophy in the last four seasons, when they took the lead in the seventh minute through captain, Anthony Peacock.
The pacey forward was allowed time and space to progress to the edge of the box before slamming the ball into the bottom corner.
Shildon had much of the possession but flattered to deceive, often running out of ideas in the final third and attempting to force the ball through a packed central defence or failing to negotiate the first man when seeking to feed the ball in from wider areas.
Synthonia showed discpline in defence, bringing ten men behind the ball and reducing Shildon to mostly harmless pot shots from distance. Lewis Wing did manage to sting the palms of the visiting goalkeeper, but his saves were, in the main, standard.
Synners should have doubled their lead with the final play of the first half when a breakaway saw their forward beat the defence and keeper before hitting the side netting from ten yards with the goal at his mercy.
Shildon reappeared for the second half in menacing mood and laid siege to the Synners goal, but the defence was not for shifting until, with the visitors preparing to celebrate the final whistle, left back Matty Robson unleashed an unstoppable left foot drive from the tightest angle which crashed into the roof of the net to provide Shildon with a lifeline.
The match went immediately to penalty kicks and Shildon’s lethargy was once more their Achilles heel as Purewal, Greulich-Smith and Harwood all failed from the spot to hand the lower division side a deserved semi-final berth.
As the Crier goes to press, Shildon remain in League Cup contention, playing Second Division leaders Stockton Town in the quarter finals and have a slim chance of retaining their league title, although manager Bobby Moore’s thoughts may already be turning to the rebuilding job he has ahead of him in time for next season.
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Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
