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PONTELAND United will represent the Northern Alliance in the Northern Counties Senior Cup Final, after they - representing Northumberland FA - knocked out Cumberland FA exponents Gillford Park. In beautiful weather and a crowd of between 70 and 80, Gillford Park thought they had gone ahead early doors in this game, when Steve Skinner's free kick was expertly flicked inside the near post by the inimitable Lee Otway before being chalked off as the referee ordered the set-piece to be retaken. Ten minutes later, the goal-that-wasn't-to-be became all the more valuable, as Ponteland's Glenn Ford received the ball on the left, cut inside and struck across goal and into the back of the net, with the help of the far post, to open the scoring. The home side, representing the Cumberland FA, levelled the scores four minutes before the break when that man Otway twisted and turned his way through the box before blasting high into the roof of the net. But by the time those three whistles rung out for half-time, United had got their noses back in front when McIvor capitalised on a mistake in defence, shooting hard against the bar before teammate Paul Hodgson converted the rebound. The action continued in the second half. Just three minutes after the restart, Danny Palmer spread the ball left to ex-Carlisle man Skinner and he looked up before drilling it into the bottom corner, completing Gillford's second comeback of the game. However, there was to be no revival when Sean Willis emulated fellow Number 7, David Beckham, sending a high, speculative effort towards goal to leave home custodian Twentyman stranded and sailing under the crossbar to seal his club's place in the final. Match report and pictures on later. |