Pictures - Rugby Town's FA Vase game in North Shields

FA Vase - Fifth Round Proper

North Shields 2 Rugby Town 0

Valley's Vase run finally came to an end in Tyneside last Saturday, with a goal in each half securing the Northern League hosts a place in the quarter-final draw in front of crowd of just over a 1,000 spectators.

Town acquitted themselves well enough at a blustery Ralph Gardner Park ground, but they were just unable to fashion an upset against the competition favourites, with Edwin Ahenkorah's first half penalty miss ultimately proving to be the decisive moment in the game.

A depleted Rugby were without the injured Loyiso Recci and Luke English, with manager Carl Adams also not allowed into the stadium following a one-match punishment received for his red card at Stourport two months earlier.

Assistant-manager Justin Marsden and skipper Recci deputised for Adams on the touchline, with Jamal Clarke back into the starting line-up after missing out on the Bugbrooke home victory a week previously.

Town opted to play with the wind for the opening period, but they made a tentative start and Max Johnson's wayward free-kick illustrated their early inability to deal with the conditions.

Shields scored with the first real chance of the game on nine minutes, when some neat interchange play just outside of the Rugby box saw Dan Wilson eventually play in Chris McDonald with a clever flick, and the full-back applied a well-executed angled low finish past Ash Bodycote.

Valley were still looking to find some cohesion to their play, and they escaped further punishment when referee Paul Cooper turned down a strong appeal for a penalty after a Keenah Rosser challenge on Andrew Cartwright.

Town were handled a lifeline though on 23 minutes, when Cooper did point the spot after home keeper Olly Marshall took down David Kolodynski in the six yard box after he had only been able to initially parry Max Johnson's speculative long ranger.

However Ahenkorah guided the ball the wrong side of the left hand post, with Marshall having dived the wrong way.

Bodycote was soon pushing away a scramble from a Cartwright corner, with Wilson flicking a header to Brad Hird's cross off-target.

Rugby ended the half in good form though, and they threatened the North Shields goal on a number of occasions.

First Danico Johnson fired a half-volley over after Clarke had nodded the ball down into his path, and then Johnson missed out on an even better chance after a clever one-two with Kolodynski had created space for him in a central position ten yards out, but Marshall read the situation well and was able to block the striker's scuffed effort.

Kolodynski headed the resulting corner into Marshall's arms, before the teams departed for the interval.

Town also made a promising start to the new half, with Max Johnson's free-kick very nearly picking out Caine Elliott and Clarke but for a timely interception by a North Shields' defender, and then Danico Johnson again in the action with a rising strike over the bar.

The hosts really should have then made it two though, when Bodycote made a real hash of a wind-assisted upfield clearance to allow Hird a virtually free-shot at goal, but fortunately excellent defending by Rosser denied him, with Hird also stabbing the rebound opportunity wide.

At the other end Kolodynski had a volley blocked, before Shields began their best spell of the game with Clarke deflecting Smith's shot away for a corner, and David Robinson and Paul Van-Zandvliet both putting their efforts over the top.

The crucial second goal came after Clarke was somewhat harshly punished for handball in the area following McDonald's long throw, and Wilson made no mistake by stroking his penalty home.

Marsden nearly nipped in through the middle of the home defence after he had charged down a clearance but his first touch let him down, as Rugby looked to launch a late comeback bid, with Dan Summerfield then missing out on a chance of consolation goal when he skied his strike on the half-turn with the last attacking play of the game.

Rugby line-up: Bodycote, Summerfield, Hancocks (J.Thomas), Rosser, Clarke, Fitzharris, M.Johnson, Elliott, Shaw, D.Johnson (Marsden), Ahenkorah. Sub not used: Francis, Parker

North Shields line-up: Marshall, Cartwright, McDonald, Ormston, Myers, Jack Walker, Robinson, Van-Zandvliet, Wilson, Carr, Hird. Subs: Smith, Leonard, Bexton, Turner, Josh Walker, Norvell, Purvis

Rugby Star Man: Keenah Rosser