CHESTER-LE-STREET 4-3 WEST AUCKLAND TOWN

(Tuesday 7 November, 7:30PM)

A disastrous 15 minute spell saw West Auckland crash out of the Durham Challenge Cup in dramatic fashion. Comfortably leading 2-0 after 63 minutes, Chester-le-Street scored 4 past a struggling Mark Bell, who injured his knee earlier in the match.

West had the perfect start on 5 minutes when a poor clearance was blocked by Danny Richmond, Ian Maddison picked up the loose ball, fed Andy Cole and his cross was tapped home from 2 yards by Mattie Moffat. Earlier Cole's cross had presented Darren Kokes with a chance but he shot tamely at Ian Aitken. Chester rarely presented a threat going forward in the first half - a dangerous ball across the face of goal was there best opportunity although no forward was on hand to take advantage.

Ian Maddison volleyed wide after a good run from Richmond before, on 21 minutes, Moffat had the ball in the net again only for an offside flag to rule the goal out. Danny Key burst through the middle and when he passed the ball forward to Moffat, he chipped the keeper only for the flag to be quickly raised. There was little other goal action in the remainder of the half although a couple of minutes before the break Moffat sent Kokes through only to see his shot well blocked by the legs of Aitken.

Whilst the first was a drab affair, the second was a much better half. West could have had a second within the first minute but Ian Maddison could not generate enough power on his header to trouble the goalkeeper. Andy Cole then put in a superb cross however slightly too far for Danny Richmond to supply the finishing touch. Chester though started to apply pressure and Mark Bell had to make a good save to preserve the lead before the visitors hit back. In the 62nd minute, Cole's cross found Darren Kokes and his shot had to be pushed round the post. From this, Ian Maddison rose unmarked on the 6 yard line to head home the second.

A substitution changed the face of the game though when the lively Johnny Wightman was introduced and within minutes his fine run, skipping past three challenges, was rewarded by rolling the ball across to the unmarked Willie Moat who fired home. This was the 69th minute and it was too get a lot worse for West - although had they scored again soon after, when they had chances, the result could have been different. 2 minutes after the goal Jamie Middleton was denied by a last ditch challenge, from the corner Maddison's shot was deflected over and then Leigh Grant headed narrowly too high. Chester then levelled in the 74th minute, when a free kick was headed back across goal for Anthony March to turn the ball home. 3 minutes later another cross was palmed into the path of Willie Moat by the struggling Bell and he applied the finish. Worse was to follow when 6 minutes before the end, a corner was headed goal wards and Andy Armstrong swivelled to shoot home past a despairing lunge by Danny Key on the line. West tried to hit back - Jamie Middleton saw an effort saved by the keeper, the rebound was somehow scrambled half clear before a clearance hit Cole and flew over narrowly over the open goal. With a minute, Middleton tried a low long range effort that was pushed around for a corner. West did pull back a goal in stoppage time when Moffat's corner was headed in by Brian Fairhurst however there was not enough time left for an equaliser as the players were left to ponder what went wrong.

Team
    1 Mark Bell
    2 Gerard Wraith
        (Kevin Bromley 88 mins)
    3 Danny Key
    4 Jamie Middleton
    5 Brian Fairhurst
    6 Leigh Grant
    7 Darren Kokes
       (Dale Jardine 80 mins)
    8 Danny Richmond
    9 Mattie Moffat
   10 Ian Maddison
   11 Andy Cole