Hebburn Town to face Consett in an all Northern League FA Vase final at Wembley after dramatic victory

Hebburn Town will face Consett in an all Northern League FA Vase final at Wembley later this month after a dramatic 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory over Corinthian.
Hebburn Town have reached the FA Vase final. Credit: CNC PHOTOGRAPHY.Hebburn Town have reached the FA Vase final. Credit: CNC PHOTOGRAPHY.
Hebburn Town have reached the FA Vase final. Credit: CNC PHOTOGRAPHY.

If the FA Vase was awarded for bravery, then Kevin Bolam’s Hebburn Town players would already be dancing around the trophy in the Wembley dressing room.

Through sheer guts and will, not to mention more than a hint of ability and experience, the club that could have folded just three years ago will walk out at the home of football later this month.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Not content with going a goal down in their semi-final at Southern Counties East League club Corinthian, the Hornets went a man down when Olly Martin was shown a red card for a challenge on hosts keeper Aiden Prall.

Hebburn Town FC manager Kevin Bolam.Hebburn Town FC manager Kevin Bolam.
Hebburn Town FC manager Kevin Bolam.

Time ticked, the sands of time ran away, captain Louis Storey carried a wrist injury for best part of the game, but a lifeline was handed to them as Graeme Armstrong stepped up to take a penalty with just three minutes left.

The former Gateshead and Dunston UTS striker wasted little time in lashing the ball beyond Prall to send the tie into extra-time.

With limbs aching, bodies draining and injuries mounting, Kevin Bolam’s men unexpectedly got themselves in front when Armstrong found the net in the first period of extra-time.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Controversy was to follow again; another contentious decision saw the hosts strike from the penalty spot within the closing-stages of extra-time.

Hebburn Town have reached the FA Vase final. Credit: CNC PHOTOGRAPHY.Hebburn Town have reached the FA Vase final. Credit: CNC PHOTOGRAPHY.
Hebburn Town have reached the FA Vase final. Credit: CNC PHOTOGRAPHY.

But Hebburn would not be denied, and Corinthian’s proficiency from the spot evaded them in the shoot-out.

Their hosts, by contrast, were deadly, with four unsavable efforts.

Mark Foden saved two penalties to ensure that South Tyneside will amass on Wembley Way on the last Sunday of the month.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The club that refused to give in, the team that refused to give in, will have their day in the sun.

Consett beat Bitton 1-0 in their semi-final.

Corinthian: Prall, Kinnear, Trueman, Snelling, Billings, Bath, Oloyede, Mahoney, Tanner, Housego, Tobon Subs: James, Stirman, Johnson, Sawyer, Clarke, Holland, Fox

Hebburn Town: Foden, Groves, Lough, Spence, Storey, Carson, Potter, McKeown, Armstrong, Scott, Purewal Subs: Martin, Richardson, Donaghy, Taylor, Suddick, Mullen, Angelos

A message from the Editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Shields Gazette website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit here to sign up. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.