Moore proud of Hebburn Town as FA Cup run ends at Chester

Daniel Moore admitted he had mixed emotions after Hebburn Town’s FA Cup run was brought to an end by a 3-0 defeat at National League North club Chester.

The Hornets were outsiders heading to the Deva Stadium as they faced a side that claimed a narrow win against South Shields seven days earlier to remain in the play-off places in non-league’s second tier. Moore’s men had some chances to lay the groundwork of what would have been a shock win in the early stages - but fell behind on the half-hour when Tom Peers beat Hornets keeper Kieran Hunter with a powerful low drive.

To their credit, Hebburn remained in the game and made life difficult for their higher-level hosts - but their resistance was broken in the final ten minutes when Peers doubled his tally and George Glendon put the seal on the result when he scored Chester’s third in injury-time. Despite the defeat, Moore stressed he was proud of his players but was understandably disappointed to exit the competition.

He told The Gazette: “We are really proud of the lads for the effort they put in. We had a couple of chances in the first ten minutes and if we took one of them it could have been a very different game. We said just to stay in the game and we would have a go in the last 20 minutes and they picked us off - but it was a decent performance against a very good side. I am pleased with the lads but obviously disappointed to go out. They were a bit fitter than us but we went there, our shape was good and it’s a good gage for where some of the players are at.”

As his side prepare to return to their Northern Premier League Premier Division campaign with a home game against Whitby Town on Tuesday night, Moore believes the visit to a higher-level opposition will have provided a ‘good learning curve’ for everyone at Hebburn.

He said: “It was good as a club to go there, we didn’t get hammered. The club have been brilliant with their preparations and we couldn’t ask anymore. It’s been a good learning curve for us.”

FA Cup second qualifying round results (North East clubs only)

Dunston UTS 1-1 Scarborough Athletic, Crook Town 1-2 Witton Albion, Stockton Town 3-2 Marine, Newcastle Benfield 0-1 Wythenshawe Town, Chester 3-0 Hebburn Town, Blyth Spartans 0-3 Bury, Spennymoor Town 3-1 Morpeth Town, Macclesfield 5-0 South Shields, West Didsbury and Chorlton 1-2 Darlington