Northumbria Face Vase Replay

Team Northumbria manager Colin Stromsoy praised the opposition after a 1-1 draw in the FA Vase First Round proper against North West Counties Football League side Runcorn Linnets.

“They are one of the best teams that we have had [at Coach Lane],” he said. “They are very talented players who we had to contain and we have competed with them.”

Scott Gunn opened up the scoring for the Northumbria University side after 10 minutes as he latched on to Ben Dibb-Fuller’s cross goal effort.

“Apart from lots of free kicks and corners at the start of the game Stefan [Holden] has not had to make a save but they have obviously come right out at it,” added Stromsoy.

“And we were there on the counter attack having a couple of opportunities and deservedly went 1-0 up in my opinion.”

The home side changed to a 4-4-2 formation for the second half and seemed to play more defensively, which was an unfamiliar move by Stromsoy as he tried to tame the visitors and see the game out.

“They came at us in the second half, which we knew they would do, and we ended up playing 4-4-2 which we have never played here in my entirety as a coach,” explained Stromsoy.

“Their number seven (Paul Stanley) was causing us all sorts of problems down the left hand side so we had to deal with him.”

Holden was a key factor in containing the Cheshire-based side, saving a penalty with 20 minutes to go in normal time.

But despite the keeper’s late heroics the Linnets eventually forced an equaliser on 80 minutes when Mark Houghton tapped-in from close range.

Harry Simpson was denied a last gasp winner in injury time after the midfielder’s header was cleared from the line before the full-time whistle blew minutes later.

After half an hour of extra time the FA Vase tie ended in stalemate and consequently TN will travel to Runcorn on Tuesday night for a replay.

TN will have played four games in eight days after their replay at the Millbank Linnets Stadium, something which Stromsoy is well aware of going into the tie.

“The truth is that those guys out there have played a huge amount of minutes and it was catching up with them,” admitted Stromsoy.

“But it shows you how good the system is that we can cope with a team like that.”