Pictures John Hopkins
WARRINGTON Town were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, losing 6-5 on penalties to South Shields.
The two Northern Premier League heavyweights battled out an entertaining 0-0 draw, before the lottery of spot kicks decided it was the Mariners who would progress to the second qualifying round.
There were nine penalties taken by each side, with Jordan Hunter scoring the decisive penalty after Myles Boney had saved from Iyrwah Gooden.
Yellows ‘keeper Charlie Albinson had threatened to be the hero, making two fine saves in the shoot-out, but even when Josh Amis had given the hosts the lead in sudden death, Shields stayed alive to prevail.
During the 90 minutes, there wasn’t a defining chance, with the Yellows restricted to efforts from outside the box, while it was the final 10 minutes before Albinson had to pull off a save, denying Jason Gilchrist with a dive to his left.
A magic move by Luke Duffy, who dropped a shoulder and surged in to the box to create an opening for a shot, was about the best the Yellows managed, the end product flying high and wide.
Warrington scored their first three in the shootout before Albinson saved from Josh Gillies, only for Matt Regan to see the next penalty saved.
Both Duffy and Josh Baillie skied their penalties in sudden death, only to be saved by Darius Osei hitting his over and then Albinson’s heroics.
When Amis tucked his way it looked like being the Yellows’ night, but Dillon Morse levelled it up at 5-5 and then Hunter won it after Gooden was denied.
Amidst the uncertainty of the ever-changing coronavirus guidelines, the Yellows are next due to be in action on Saturday at home to Gainsborough Trinity, with fans still allowed to be in attendance as things stand.
Warrington Town: Albinson, Baillie, Rose, Munro (Dunn), Roberts, Regan, Mackreth (Gooden), Brown, Buckley (Amis), Dixon, Duffy. Unused subs: Carney, Grogan.
South Shields: Boney, Hunter, Adams, Shaw, Morse, Ross, Verstraaten (Gillies), Briggs, Gilchrist, Lowe, Hodgson (Osei). Unused subs: Baxter, Jenkins, Coombe.
