Town ease past North Ormesby in North Riding Senior Cup

NORTHALLERTON TOWN 4 NORTH ORMESBY 2

TOWN eased into the second round of the North Riding Senior Cup with this routine victory over Teesside League Division One side North Ormesby at the RGPS on Wedneday evening.

With half an eye on Saturday's crucial league meeting against Ryhope CW, Town manager Mark Fanning made seven changes to the side that had won at Thornaby last weekend.

So in came Academy goalkeeper Dean Hudson, while Stu Dunn, Steve Banks, Pete Bulmer, Steve Butterworth, James Bowman and Alex Caisley were all given a much needed run out.

The visitors knew they had nothing to lose and started well, with Pete Griffiths going close in the early stages, but Town took control with two goals in the opening twenty minutes - both typical strikers finishes from Carl Chillingsworth.



Carl Chillingsworth puts Town 1-0 up

He opened the scoring on 12 minutes, tucking away a neat pull back from Adam Emson with the minimum of fuss, before rounding goalkeeper Michael Duff and tapping home from close range ten minutes later.

But it would not be Town if they were to make things too easy for themselves and they gifted Ormesby a way back into the tie on the half-hour. A long ball into the penalty area should have been dealt with, but John Cairnes was allowed to nip in front of Hudson and nod home from 6 yards.

Fanning was forced into a change during the break as Chillingsworth was nursing a knee injury picked up while scoring the second goal, so Saturday's hat-trick hero Wayne Gredziak replaced him up front for the second half.

And it was 3-1 six minutes after the resumption. Emson again created the opportunity with a pull-back from the left and this time Butterworth was on hand to sweep the ball past Duff from 8 yards - his 8th goal of an impressive season.

The tie was as good as over four minutes later when Town added a fourth. Bulmer, who was having more and more influence down the right-hand side, found Gredziak through the centre and he coolly lofted the ball over the stranded Duff from 20 yards - his 6th goal in the last 5 matches.

Wayne Gredziak celebrates putting Town 4-1 ahead

Fanning's side were now in complete control and could have added more gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages as Butterworth, Gredziak, Bowman and Emson all came close as Ormesby tired.

In fact Bulmer did have the ball in the net fifteen minutes from time after a lovely turn and finish on the edge of the area, but referee Philip Yates ruled it out as Emson had drifted offside, even though he was not active in the move.

In the end it was the visitors who scored the final goal of the night. Hudson, who had been largely inactive for much of the second half, did well to keep out a low drive from Cairnes, but when the resulting corner was only half-cleared to the edge of the area, Andrew Lambert drilled it back into the roof of the net.

"We got what we wanted from the night," said Fanning at the whistle. "It was a good win, we gave a few lads a much needed run out and we came through it largely unscathed.

Mark Fanning and Martin Collins watch over another Town win

"Chilli should be fit for Saturday. He tweaked his knee so we took him off as a precaution. It was a good opportunity to utilise the squad and give some lads much needed match time.

"Alex Caisley, Stuey Dunn and Steve Butts all did very well, but the whole team put in a good shift. We knew what to expect from them and we dealt with it. We can now concentrate on Saturday."

TOWN - Hudson, Roberts, Dunn, Hickman, Banks, Caisley, Butterworth, Bowman, Emson, Chillingsworth, Bulmer. Subs - Gredziak, Shoulder, Alderson, Laing, Colman.

NORTH ORMESBY - Duff, Kennedy, Jack, Griffiths,(P) Hardy, Brown, Lambert, Hebron, Boldison, Griffiths(J). Subs - Cordeiro, Williams, Turner, James.

REFEREE; P. Yates

ATTENDANCE; 74

*Pics courtesy of Paul Gaythorpe from Pik4Images