Holders Whitley Bay out of Vase at hands of rivals West Auckland.
The FA Carlsberg Vase
Fifth Round Proper
3pm, Saturday 18 February 2012
Winning club will receive £2,500 from The FA prize fund
Click here for all the Fifth Round Proper ties
West Auckland manager Peter Dixon billed his team's trip to four-time winners Whitley Bay as a David v Goliath challenge in The FA Carlsberg Vase.
Though perhaps Dixon was over-stating it a bit as his side lead their Northern League Division One rivals in the league table, but it was ‘David’ who triumphed again as ten-man Whitley’s epic Vase run came to an end with West Auckland winning 2-1.
So, after 1420 days 24 rounds and 29 Vase games unbeaten, Whitley Bay, the winners of this competition for the last three years are out.
Things looked bad for West Auckland after 15 minutes when Alex Francis was the victim of a poor challenge from Whitley’s tough-tackling midfielder Lee Scroggins, who was sent off.
The unfortunate Francis, a former Newcastle United player signed from Spennymoor last summer, left the ground in an ambulance leaving his team-mates needing to recover their composure.
And they did just that in spectacular fashion, taking the lead for the first time just a minute from time as a header hit the back of the net from their prolific forward Mattie Moffat.
That was in the 89th minute and seemed to settle the tie, but Whitley Bay were never going to concede their trophy easily and they were on level terms a minute later when Paul Robinson scored thanks to a Robbie Dale assist.
But what drama ensued when West Auckland scored a remarkable last-gasp winner through Michael Rae, another summer signing from Spennymoor.
West Auckland’s reward for pulling off a major Vase upset is a Sixth Round tie away to Billingham Synthonia or Bournemouth, who played out a goalless draw.
Elsewhere, Peterborough Northern Star’s 2-0 extra-time win at Tividale will see them face a last-eight home tie against Dunston UTS, who were comfortable 3-0 winners against surprise Fifth Round qualifiers Bethnal Green United.
Shortwood United were also victorious in a 3-0 home scoreline as they sent Ashington tumbling out of the tournament to set a quarter final tie against Herne Bay, who defeated Larkhall Athletic 1-0 in their Fifth Round clash.
St Ives Town were emphatic 4-0 winners over Gresley and they will face Staveley Miners Welfare, who recorded a midweek win over Oadby Town.
Watch the goals from the Whitley Bay v West Auckland game below, courtesy of
www.northernleaguefootball.co.uk
