Dunston FC v Goole AFC
FA Cup Preliminary Round
24th August 2019.
Attendance 291

Report by Tom Clark

Dunston FC were forced to a replay after a tense 2-2 draw a week on Tuesday evening by a competitive performance by Goole AFC of the NCEL Premier League.

Goole came and along with the summer sun, and true to their nickname “The Vikings”, raided and pillaged against a Dunston side who despite taking a lead on 17 minutes though a Mark Fitzpatrick penalty, Dunston never really forced the issue and were pushed and bullied throughout the game. Goole equalised on 47 minutes after losing the ball on the wing outside the box and were punished by a low cross turned in by Devonte Newman-Morton.

Dunston retook the lead on 65 minutes after a long Marrs free kick was met by Michael Pearson who headed home. Goole fought back and stunned Dunston on 80 minutes with a Schofield header from the back post which looped over a stranded Karl Dryden into the corner of the net. Dunston had very little to offer in the closing minutes as Goole who pressed for a winner as Dunston were forced back. The game started on a lush green pitch on a hot summers day at the Dunston UTS stadium and in the opening exchanges Dunston almost took an early lead as Halliday and Fitzpatrick combined and Hallidays’ cross travelled dangerously across the Goole goal, then a minute later Fitzpatrick was played through into the box and slid a shot past the out coming keeper only to see it hit the wrong side of the net.

Goole retaliated on 5 minutes as their centre forward tested Halliday and Scott who were strong and blocked the attempted cross. Dunston were awarded a penalty 16 minutes after Heslop was played into the box by Fitzpatrick only for the out coming keeper to take him out as Heslop tried to go past him. Mark Fitzpatrick firmly slotted the penalty kick past Riches to give Dunston the lead. Goole almost got through in the 21 st minute as Dan Capewell had to clear as Newman-Morton was played through after a long clearance. Play became very scrappy as both sides were giving possession away but Dunston almost went further ahead as Liam Marrs won a ball on the halfway line and attacked the Goole box his through ball to Fitzpatrick enabled a shot which went just over and three minutes later Dan Wright fired over after a Heslop flick on at the near post from a Hallliday long throw in.

Half time Dunston FC 1 Goole AFC 0

Dunston opened the second half with an attack, but within 2 minutes of the restart Goole equalised as a defensive error on the right allowed a low cross which was turned in by Devonte Newman-Morton from 5 yards out. A minute later again Goole attacked and ball went dangerously across the Dunston area but was safely cleared. Dunston had introduced Brooks for Smith at half time and it started to give the Goole defence problems and a Brooks shot on 56, from 40 yards thundered in on Riches who did well to just block the shot, the rebound went over the advancing Pearson.

Dunston regained the lead on 65 minutes as Pearson got on the end of Marrs free kick from the halfway line and headed firmly into the net. Goole were scrapping for their FA cup dream and on 71 Newman- Morton fired in a shot which Dryden saved. On 73, Dunston brought on Michael Hall, returning after almost a year long injury, to bolster the midfield which seemed to work against a resurgent Goole side. However on 80 minutes a defensive error on the right allowed a deep cross from Payne to Schofield at the far post, Schofield rose high and directed his looping header over Dryden and into the opposite corner of the net for what proved to be the final goal of the game.

Goole almost got the winner as they pushed Dunston back and Capewell did well to block a Payne shot. As the game went into added time Dunston had the final chance created from a long ball up to Fitzpatrick which appeared to be handled by Adama and bundled into Fitzpatrick who cleared his feet and shot the ball past Riches into the goal, only for the referee to say that Fitzpatrick had used a hand to control the ball.

The game ended as a 2-2 draw and both sides to meet again in 10 days time at Goole.

Final Score: Dunston FC 2 (Fitzpatrick (pen)17, Pearson 65) Goole AFC 2 (Newton-Morton 47, Schofield 80)

Dunston Supporters Man of the Match: Michael Pearson

Dunston FC: Dryden, Marrs, Halliday, Lowther (Hall 73), Craig Scott, Capewell, Wright (Elliott 82), Pearson,
Fitzpatrick, Heslop, Smith (Brooks 45). Subs not used: Ward, Dixon, Grant-Soulsby.