After finishing runners-up to Wallington in the Bay Plastics Northern Alliance Premier Division to guarantee promotion to Ebac Northern League Division Two, Alnwick Town rounded off the season in style by retaining the Reeves Investment Services George Dobbins League Cup with a hard fought 1-0 win against Ponteland United at Craik Park, Morpeth last Thursday night.
Despite being without top-scorer Euan Potts and fellow striker Usman Ogidan who were both cup-tied after playing for previous clubs Newcastle Chemfica and Morpeth FC in the first round of the competition in August, Alnwick Town got off to the perfect start with what proved to be the winner in the 2nd minute from Lewis Fairbairn.
Full back Brannon Patterson did well to keep the ball in play down the right after a free-kick was flicked on and his persistence won a corner from which the goal came. Kieran Hogg's delivery was headed goalwards by Fairbairn and appeared to be going narrowly wide of the far post until coming straight back to him courtesy of a poor defensive clearance. Fairbairn struck it first-time on the angle and the ball flew low through a crowded six-yard box past unsighted keeper Liam Blair into the bottom corner (1-0).
After being on the back foot in the opening 10 minutes Ponteland United gradually got a foothold in the game, winning two corners in quick succession as well as a free-kick and throw in good attacking positions but all came to nothing with the towering figure of keeper Matthew Alexander yet to be tested.
At the other end, a promising Alnwick break down the left ended with full back Joe Egglestone beating the last defender before seeing his low cross safely gathered by Blair.
A long ball over the top picked out Jaymie Shell on the edge of the box and the Alnwick winger was a bit unlucky to be penalised after it bounced up and hit his arm as he turned to get a shot away.
The Alnwick defence then dealt with two corners before making two goal-line clearances in the space of a few seconds to preserve their lead.
The game continued to swing from end to end like a good old-fashioned cup tie with Ponteland next to threaten in the 36th minute through centre forward Dan Hadfield but his attempted chip from just inside the box on the right didn't have enough height to clear Alexander.
Alnwick then won two corners in quick succession as half-time approached. From the first one on the right, Hogg's pinpoint delivery was curling directly in just under the bar until being palmed away by Blair at full stretch, and Luke Duffy's delivery from the left was headed wide by Fairbairn.
Ponteland started the second half on the front foot and their North Northumberland rivals were forced to concede an early corner on the left after heading behind Chris Hibbitt's free-kick. Niall Codling's set-piece was flicked on but evaded his strikers in the six-yard box and went for a goal-kick.
With Blair a virtual spectator in the Ponteland goal, his teammates continued to press for an equaliser.
Hibbitt's chipped pass from 25 yards out dropped nicely in the box for full back George Harris but another chance went begging as his effort flew over the bar.
A rare Alnwick attack ended with full back Patterson having a shot blocked in the box and centre forward Lee Johnson's rising follow-up effort flew wide of Blair's right-hand post.
Harris came close to scoring a spectacular equaliser on 63 minutes with a first-time strike from the centre circle that was heading for the top corner until being acrobatically tipped over by Alexander at full stretch.
The resulting corner curled in by Hibbitt was palmed behind for a second corner on the left from which Kieran Tubman headed wide.
They kept pressing and another great cross from Hibbitt was headed behind by centre half Ross Straughan with Hadfield on his shoulder ready to pounce.
Soon after replacing Johnson, evergreen 41-year-old striker Michael Laws was in the thick of the action. Egglestone's deep cross from the left was nodded on target from a tight angle but lacked the power to trouble Blair, and he stretched out a boot to reach Patterson's cross from the other touchline but poked it wide.
At the other end, Hadfield rose highest to meet Hibbitt's long range free-kick but his looping header was safely gathered by Alexander.
On the counter, a wayward back header gifted Alnwick a corner from which Hogg's delivery was a fraction too high for Laws and Straughan to reach.
A spell of Ponteland pressure down the left ended with substitute Kittisak Spratt's low cross from the byline being poked wide at the near post by Hadfield.
Moments later, Harrison Turnbull's corner was headed clear and Hadfield's return strike was saved low down at the near post by Alexander, while his opposite number Blair got down well to save substitute George Hedley's 25 yard effort as full-time approached.
The final action in the 94th minute saw Ponteland substitute Myles Candlish found down the right by a ball over the top but his angled half-volley from inside the box was comfortably saved by Alexander.
This was a well contested Final played in the right spirit by both teams who gave everything for 90 minutes and it was superbly handled by referee Zak Logue, with the atmosphere enhanced by Alnwick's vociferous travelling support.
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