SCARBOROUGH ATH FC v DUNSTON FC

Report by Billy Montague

Tuesday 19th November 2019

Integro League Cup – First Round

Final Score: Scarborough Athletic  1   Dunston FC 5

When the waterlogged state of the UTS Stadium pitch continued, it was agreed to switch this twice postponed Integro League Cup First Round Tie to the 3G playing surface at the Flamingo Land Stadium in Scarborough. After a rather traumatic coach journey from Dunston to the North Yorkshire coast, during which the severe traffic congestion made for painfully slow progress, the visitors’ late arrival necessitated a delayed kick-off at 8.00pm. Manager Chris Swailes made only one change to the starting eleven that had performed so well at Droylsden with Karl Dryden returning in goal to replace the injured Niall Harrison.

The game opened in blistering fashion with both sides mounting promising attacks in the early minutes. Scarborough strung some excellent passing moves together but their swift play was marred a couple of times when their over-eager forwards strayed offside. Dunston weren’t overawed and were giving as good as they got. The first real chance arrived in the 9th minute when good approach play from Athletic ended with a power-drive from Ryan Watson, drawing an excellent save from Karl Dryden. Two minutes later Dunston replied as a clever flick-on from Luke Page released Scott Heslop in on goal but he was just offside. As the home side knocked the ball around confidently on their own surface, centre-back Peter Davidson got forward to send in a low effort on 15 minutes but Dryden watched it go past his post. The visitors put together a superb move two minutes later with Dan Halliday sending in Mark Fitzpatrick but keeper Thomas Taylor raced out to avert the danger. They almost opened the scoring on 21 minutes when Luke Page fed the ball to Dan Halliday before being ruthlessly taken out. The referee played advantage and Scott Heslop was inches away from converting Halliday’s dangerous low cross. Immediately after surviving this scare, Scarborough mounted a decisive attack down their left when Luke Lofts linked up with Kian Spence before making ground to send in a terrific cross that was met by top-scorer James Walshaw who powered a header into the Dunston net. 1 – 0.

The home side were boosted by this quality goal and were buzzing around in confident manner but Dunston stuck to their task to ensure that they didn’t concede another. The nearest Athletic came to increasing their lead was in the 25th minute when Kian Spence worked an opening, but his effort flew over the bar. Two minutes later, Dunston almost restored parity when strong play by Scott Heslop saw him retain possession before setting up Luke Page to go into the box before sending a low shot narrowly wide with keeper Taylor well beaten. They were not to be denied and on 29 minutes Michael Pearson pressed centre-half Josh Barratt before winning the ball to slot-in Mark Fitzpatrick who strode into the box before hammering low past the advancing Taylor for the equaliser. 1 – 1.

The home side were clearly rattled and on 32 minutes Scott Heslop was fouled on the edge of the box with Liam Marrs drawing a brilliant diving save out of Taylor at his left post. An audacious 30-yard effort from Athletic’s Kian Spence skidded wide on 35 minutes before Dunston grabbed a deserved lead three minutes later when Luke Page made a superb run into the box before sending Scott Heslop in towards goal. Heslop was wrestled to the ground by a defender and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty which was duly dispatched by Mark Fitzpatrick who gave the keeper no chance. 1 – 2.

The home side almost grabbed an equaliser on 40 minutes when Ryan Watson made a brilliant run down the left before sending in a wicked low cross to the near post and only some strong defending by Michael Hall forced James Walshaw to send his shot just wide of the target. Dunston almost increased their lead on the stroke of half-time when a great run by Dan Halliday resulted in a clever lofted pass to Scott Heslop whose chip beat the keeper but the ball looped just over the angle.

Half-Time Score:  Scarborough Athletic FC  1   Dunston FC  2

At the start of the second-half, both Clubs were forced to replace injured players, with the home side bringing on Connor Thomson in place of James Walshaw and Dunston’s Craig Scott being replaced by Jack Elliott. From the kick-off, Athletic mounted a quick attack which ended with Paul Walker shooting past the near post. On 49 minutes the same player combined with Connor Thomson whose dangerous cross to the far post was cleared for a fruitless corner by Dan Halliday. In the 57th minute Dunston’s Jack Elliott made a superb run past three defenders on the left flank and his cross was scrambled behind for a corner. Jake Stafford swung in a testing flag-kick that was dropped by keeper Thomas Taylor and Dan Capewell was on hand to ram the loose ball into the net. 1 – 3.

On the hour mark, Scott Heslop had two chances to increase Dunston’s lead when he broke into the box before firing narrowly wide of the far post before great work by Jack Elliott on the edge of the box resulted in a clever ball for Heslop to hammer into the side-netting. On 69 minutes Heslop went close again after being put through by Mark Fitzpatrick but this time keeper Taylor pulled off a brilliant save to deny him. The keeper was involved again on 72 minutes when he misjudged a high ball into his box and when the ball bounced, Mark Fitzpatrick gained control to roll a low effort into the net from a tight angle. 1 – 4.

Scarborough had not given up the fight and almost pulled a goal back on 78 minutes when the dangerous Luke Lofts burst through but his chipped effort went over Karl Dryden and clipped the top of the bar before bouncing over. In the next minute, Dunston replied when Jack Elliott made another fantastic run before setting up fellow substitute Cedwyn Scott who hammered narrowly over the bar. On 85 minutes, Taylor made another fine save to deny Liam Brooks when he fashioned an opening after swapping passes with Michael Pearson. The final goal of the game arrived in the 89th minute and it was Jack Elliott who was instrumental in causing it when he wriggled past two defenders before sending over a superb cross towards the unmarked Cedwyn Scott who looked a certain scorer. Defender Josh Barratt slid in and was unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net. 1 – 5.

Determined defending by Dunston ensured that the hosts didn’t grab a consolation goal during five minutes of added-on time and a rather unexpected victory was achieved.

Full-Time Score:  Scarborough Athletic FC 1   Dunston FC  5

Dunston line up: Dryden, Marrs, Halliday, Craig Scott (Elliott J), Hall, Capewell, Stafford,  Pearson, Fitzpatrick (Brooks), Heslop (Cedwyn Scott), Page. Subs not used: Grant-Soulsby, Smith.

Dunston UTS FC Supporters Club Man of the Match:  Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick is kindly sponsored by:

Home shirt: Tom Newton of TMP Motor Products

Away shirt: Dunston UTS FC Supporters Club

Recovery equipment: Paul Glister

Dunston FC are proudly sponsored by UTS Engineering.