DURHAM CHALLENGE CUP FINAL PREVIEW

It’s an all-Ebac Northern League showdown for tonight’s Frank Pattison Durham Challenge Cup final.

The match is being held at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light and will be contested between West Auckland Town and Whickham.  They met earlier this month in the league, with West coming out on top in a 4-2 win.

The game caps a season of great cup runs for the Lang Jacks.  They reached the fifth round of the Isuzu FA Vase and the first qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup.

Their manager Lee Haldane admits it’s a huge moment for him to lead his team out at the Stadium of Light. “It is what we have worked for, from everyone to the top to the bottom of the club. But we still have a big job to do before, people have got to get themselves inside the squad, never mind the side

“We’ve put a squad together in pre-season, lost four or five with season-ending injuries and one or two whittled away and one went higher so I’ve had to create a new squad during the season on the run which is not easy.

“I think it’s starting to come together which could be a good time for us going into the final. On the back of that though I hope it doesn’t give us much work to do next pre-season!”

A win would be at the summit of his career achievement list, he admitted. Having taken over 18 months ago, to lead Whickham to a cup final is a great accolade, but now he wants to finish the job off.

“Everyone wants to win the Vase but what chance have you got statistically in that? Then you look at the Durham Challenge Cup, it’s the next one you really want to aim for because of the calibre of teams in it. I think everyone from the league above, Stockton, Dunston and the likes of them, set out to win it so if you win that it ranks as a massive achievement.”

Meanwhile, West Auckland have been one of the best teams in the league all season and are guaranteed a promotion play-off place.

Manager Gary Forrest said:  “Apart from Gary Brown and Nick Liversedge, we have a young squad who are just starting out on their football career.  This is their reward for them putting in a big season and to be part of a special occasion.”

Apart from two cup-tied players, he has a full squad to choose from. “Adam Mitchell is very disappoinited as it’s where he made his debut and Brandon Holdsworth didn’t sign from Redcar Athletic in time.

“Like Whickham we had a decent run in the FA Cup, but we were disappointed in the Vase – going out on penalties in a game we should have won.

“The game will be played on a fantastic surface and it will be about who handles the occasion the better and who has the most players who step up to the mark and want to play football.

“I hope the clubs, the teams and the fans make it a really good occasion that’s appreciated by everyone, including Sunderland FC so we can encourage the club to continue to hold the final at the ground.”

Gary also pointed out that the game features to the top goal scorers in the league – Scott Robson with 39 goals and Josh Scott with 37.