Four goal blast put Moors through but we were poor first half says Ainsley

However, manager Jason Ainsley was relieved after a stuttering first half in which Moors were comfortably held by the North West Counties League side.

“The second half was completely different from the first,” he said. “We were poor until we opened the scoring just before half time, and it could have been such a different game if Barnoldswick had scored first. But we were quickly out of the blocks in the second half and scored some good goals. Barnoldswick are a better side then 5-0 suggests.”

It took 40 minutes for Moors to take the lead when Leon Ryan nodded the ball down for Sonny Andrews to poke home, and at the start of the second half they brushed their opponents aside and lived up to their billing as one of the favourites to win the Vase.

Gavin Cogdon scored a characteristic goal, when he beat three men and fired home, and then Andrews dispossessed the keeper and tapped in the third. Ryan set up another for Michael Laws, and a deep cross from the left by Craig Ruddy was headed into his own net by a defender.

There are seven other STL Northern League clubs through to the next round.

Four time winners Whitley Bay had no problems seeing off Tadcaster Albion from the Northern Counties East League outfit, by 4-1 at Hillheads.

There were question marks over Whitley’s form going into the game, but they answered them emphatically. Paul Chow, who has scored in each of the last three Wembley finals, headed them into the lead from a Robbie Dale cross after 15 minutes, and they went further in the lead just after half time when Paul Robinson, in the centre circle, spotted the Tadcaster keeper off his line and hit the ball over him.

Craig MacFarlane got the third from a rebound, and then Chris Fawcett, making his return debut, headed in a cross by Lee Kerr. Tadcaster pulled a late goal back from the penalty spot.

Whitley Bay manager Ian Chandler said; “Our big players performed, just as they always do with the Vase. We were on top of our game. It was business as usual in the Vase, at 2-0 we were in cruise control.”

Consett had a good home win by 4-2 against Ramsbottom, another North West Counties League side, after they conceded a two goal lead.

Ramsbottom were on top in the first half, but it was Consett’s Marc Walton who gave his side the lead a minute before half time with a good shot, and then in stoppage time another of his efforts was deflected past the visiting keeper.

But Ramsbottom recovered at the start of the second half, scoring twice in ten minutes to pull level. However, Consett bounced back, and Michael Mackay fired them back in front, and he made sure in the closing minutes when he scored from a Jamie Poole pass.

Consett manager Kenny Lindoe said: “Ramsbottom were a very good side, and you can see why they’re near the top of their league. At 2-2, we rose to the challenge, and came back into the game with some great character.”

West Auckland scored twice in the second half to beat Bacup Borough 3-1 at Darlington Road.

West took the lead with a rasping 25 yarder by Stuart Banks, but then they had defender Neil Pattison dismissed following an off the ball incident, and then Bacup also had Kingsly Williams sent off.

But the NWCL side levelled just before the break with an effort by Adrian Bellamy.

However, Banks restored West’s lead at the start of the second half with a good header from a Mattie Moffat cross, and with ten minutes left Micky Rae fired the third from 25 yards. The angry Bacup Borough manager kept his side in the dressing rooms for 75 minutes after the game.

West Auckland manager Peter Dixon said: “At half time, I told the players to get back to basics, and not to get involved in off the ball incidents. We were getting dragged down to their level.”

Dunston rattled up the highest score in the country when they steamrollered Blackwell aside by 12-1.

Once Lee McAndrew scored for Dunston in the opening minutes, it was one way traffic, and by half time it was 7-0. The club’s record goalscorer, Andy Bulford chipped in with a hat trick, as did Steve Goddard, while Stephen Shaw, Chris Swailes, Brad Brooking, Ben Cattanach and McAndrew again.

Dunston manager Billy Irwin said: “I know that the final score was 12-1, but I would have settled for 1-0 before the game. Somebody wondered what their manager would say to his players when they were 7-0 down at half time, but I didn’t know what to say to mine! The attitude of our players was first class.”

Newcastle Benfield are through, but only just, after beating Barton Town 2-1, courtesy of a last minute winner.

Barton, from the Northern Counties East League, defended well in the first half and took the lead just after half time with an effort by Declan Marshall.

But Lewis Teasdale quickly fired the equaliser to put Benfield back into the game, and with extra time looming, Brian Dodsworth scored the winner with a well executed overhead kick.

In the all Northern League games, Ashington beat Norton 1-0 at Woodhorn Lane. Phil Bell, signed on the eve of the game from Whitley Bay, nearly gave Ashington the lead, and at the start of the second half, Johnny Godsmark found the target for the Colliers. But Norton nearly forced extra time when recent signing John Alexander hit the post.

First Division Billingham Synthonia, semi finalists four years ago, beat Second Division Crook Town 2-0 at Central Avenue.

Crook took the game to Synners in the opening stages, and Kevin Devine had an early effort cleared off the line, and Kyle Davis just failed with a long range chip. Synners keeper Josh Moody also pulled off an excellent save from a Devine header.

But Synners recovered and took the lead on 55 minutes, when Danny Wray headed in a Chay Liddle cross, and they caught Crook on the break when Danny Earl raced away to score.

Billingham Synthonia assistant manager Lee Tucker said: “It was a poor first half, and a lot better second half from us. I thought our quality got the better of them after the break.”

Crook joint manager Paul Adamson said: “We were excellent in the first half, and their keeper pulled off a couple of great saves. Synners were the better team, but I’m pleased with our overall performance.”

Bedlington were dumped out of the competition by 4-3 at Parkgate, after they led 2-0 at one point. Steve Richardson and Stephen Stewart put Bedlington 2-0 up by the 50th minute, but Parkgate stormed back to lead 4-2, with Bedlington having Stuart Elliott sent off with the score 2-1. Richardson pulled a goal back in stoppage time for Bedlington.

Billingham Town lost 4-2 at home to 2009 finalists Glossop North End, conceding two goals in the last five minutes.

Glossop led 2-0 at half time and looked comfortable, but Town were much better in the second half and pulled a goal back when Jamie Owens scored from close range, and then Micky Dunwell equalised with a good shot.

But an unfortunate rebound off Town defender Micky Arthur gave Glossop the lead again, and they caught town on the break for the fourth in the last minute.

Billingham Town manager Carl Jarrett said: “We started well, but two mistakes put us 2-0 down. We fought for everything and got back into the game in the second half. At that point, I thought there was only going to be one winner, then we got hit on the break, and then a sucker punch, There was great effort and passion from the lads.”

Gillford Park made Northern Counties East League club Bridlington fight all the way before going down 1-0.