Boro will have to do it the hard way

Unable to dispose of Northern League First Division outfit Shildon at the first attempt, they will have to do it the hard way up in County Durham Wednesday night, having let a 3-2 lead evaporate after being 2-0 down inside 25 minutes.

"I didn't mind it going to a draw towards the end because we were a bit ragged at the back," said Boro boss Kevin Glendon.

"We had to mix and match at the back with key players out and as a result we gifted them a couple of goals - we were sloppy on the corner for their first, we couldn't clear it and they had a free pot at goal; the second was a pretty decent strike, although we had sat back; but the third was down to poor communication.

"When you score three at home you should win, you shouldn't have to score four. But we did play some bright football in parts and we took our goals well."

As for the replay, he is looking forward to it.

"I don't mind going up to there, hopefully Simon Kelly and Davey Luker will be back and I don't anticipate any problems," he said.

However, cup replays create a different kind of problem for a club whose primary goal is promotion.

"We have had to postpone tonight's league game against Frickley Athletic," he explained.

"If you fall behind in your league games it's difficult to build up the momentum again, but it is something we'll just have to deal with."

Boro failed to utilise both the wind and slope in the first half, as Shildon applied instant pressure in all areas, denying Boro both time and space, which resulted in a frantic start for both sides early on.

Boro had early chances but Phil Denney fired a tame shot a yard wide and Steve Foster's limp effort was gobbled up by Shildon goalkeeper John Jackson.

Shildon then began to put together some neat passing moves down the left, complementing the long ball from the back.

However, on 11 minutes Boro presented the visitors with a golden opportunity to grab the lead, which they gratefully accepted.

A corner from the tight went uncleared and Andy Reid pounced on the loose ball just inside the 18-yard box to blast home.

Boro took the setback in their stride and within five minutes created another good opportunity, but Denney flicked his header agonisingly wide.

And just when the home side were beginning to build up a head of steam Shildon doubled their lead.

A cross from the left on 23 minutes went uncleared and Danny Richmond hit the loose ball with power and direction to drill low past Boro goalkeeper Danny Hurst, whose team-mates were guilty of ball watching.

However, Boro refused to be downhearted and set about the job of clawing their way back into the game, which they achieved within four minutes.

In a move began in their own half the ball was threaded through to Foster out on the left wing. He held it up well before slipping a timely pass through to Simon Carden on the edge of the Shildon box.

He turned well and slipped his marker before firing past Jackson into the right hand corner of the net - 1-2. Within three minutes it was 2-2, and what a goal Boro's equaliser was.

Richard Battersby intercepted a pass in his own half and carried the ball into the Shildon box, where he nonchalantly side-footed it past Jackson, having shrugged off a number of challenges on his gallop downfield.

He then hit a shot just wide and Lee Duffy saw his 20-yard effort flash past the wrong side of a post.

On 39 minutes a great ball down the right found Foster and he cut into the box, but with the unmarked Denney screaming for the pass he instead chose to shoot and missed.

But within five minutes of the restart Boro turned the tables completely by taking the lead for the first time from another well crafted move.

The ball was fed out to Denney by the right touch line and he took it to the by-line before sending over a finely weighted cross that was rammed home by strike partner Foster, unmarked at the left post.

Within a minute Spencer felt the full force of Shildon's frustration when he was injured in the first of a number of dubious tackles which ended his participation, he was replaced by Gary Sampson.

Foster then had an opportunity to extend Boro's lead when his glanced header spun towards goal, but Jackson produced a superb fingertip save to push the ball out for a corner.

Within minutes Battersby's low shot from the edge of the Shildon box forced Jackson into another impressive save, as the home side enjoyed having the upper hand.

But then the visitors struck for a third time.

A floated cross from the right evaded Hurst's grasp and Reid was on hand to slide in to force the ball over the line at the far post to make it 3-3.

Either side of two bookings for the visitors Boro introduced Rory Patterson and Karl Marginson, but the momentum Foster's goal had built up had wilted.

With referee Mr Chapman playing plenty of time added on there were late chances for both sides to snatch a win.

Shildon's Stephen Huggins, with only Hurst to beat from 10 yards, somehow managed to miss-hit his shot, while in the 93rd minute Denney managed to head over the bar from the six yard line with the goal beckoning.

The replay at Shildon's Dean Street ground takes place tomorrow night, kick-off 7.45pm.

The winners will face Midlands side Moor Green at home on Saturday October 16.

BORO: Hurst, Duffy, Battersby, Spencer, Heald, Hill, Wilson, Carden, Denney, Foster, Price. Subs: Patterson (for Carden, 75), Sampson (for Spencer, 53), Marginson (for Duffy, 85).