Northumberland Senior Cup draw made
Morpeth Town have been drawn away to Newcastle Benfield in the quarter finals of the Senior Cup.
The Highwaymen received a bye into the last eight after being finalists in the competition last season and travel to Sam Smith’s Park to face the Northern League First Division side, who were winners on penalty kicks against AFC Newbiggin in the first round.
The game ended 2-2 in 90 minutes with an own goal and a Joe Thompson strike putting Benfield in charge at the break before the newly-promoted Newbiggin side hit back with goals from Ethan Smith and Bradley Higgins in the second half.
Whitly Bay, who are second in the Northern League Division One table, will host North Shields at Hillheads.
The Seahorses beat West Allotment Celtic in the first round with goals from Mackenzie Sharp and Mikel Thompson in the 18th and 20th minutes, while the Robins, also of the Northern league First Division, were 2-0 winners at Newcastle Blue Star. Their goals were scored by Nelson Ogbewe and Reagan Patterson, who sealed the win with 12 minutes to go.
Holders Heaton Stannington, who beat Morpeth in a penalty shoot-out at St. James’s Park in May, take on Blyth Town. Heaton also had a bye into the quarters while Town were surprise 2-0 winners over fellow NPL East neighbours Blyth Spartans. The result cost Spartans manager Colin Myers his job.
The Croft Park side had been 2-0 up at Gateway Park in a first encounter before the match was abandoned due to floodlight failure. In the replay, Cameron Gascoigne struck twice from the penalty spot in the 25th and 84th minutes to put Town through.
Newcastle University host Alnwick Town in an all-Northern League Division Two affair.
Richie Latimer’s Alnwick were 4-0 winners against Prudhoe YC in round one with goals from Max Anderson (30), Antonio Agostinho (40), and Jamie Clark (66, 79) while the Students pulled off a shock as they beat Ashington 2-0.
Morpeth Town ladies are also in the quarter finals of the NFA Women’s Cup and go to Prudhoe Town. The other fixtures are Ponteland United v. Wallsend Boys Club reserves, Newcastle United development v. Alnwick Town, and I2I International v. Wallsend Boys Club.