Warrington Rylands 1-0 Hebburn Town: Hornets out of 20-21 Vase after tough away defeat

Elliott Nevitt opened the scoring in the 60th minute and his goal would prove to be decisive.

Hebburn came into the game on the back of winning the 2019-20 competition at Wembley Stadium just five days earlier. They didn’t have much time to reflect on their victory, as they faced a trip to Warrington to play a side that has knocked out Northern League opposition on three occasions.

The Hornets threatened early and won a free-kick right on the edge of the box which Michael McKeown fired high and wide.

Rylands also showed an early threat when Sam Sheen was on the end of a Ste Milne cross but he failed to make a solid connection.

Graeme Armstrong had Hebburn’s best chance of the half around the 20 minute mark when he met Michael Richardson’s corner but saw his header cleared off the line.

The home side looked to have a huge opportunity when Nevitt appeared to break through around the half hour. His touch took him wide but they worked the ball wide to Paul Shanley who fired straight at Foden via a deflection.

Hebburn again had the first big opportunity in the second half.

Amar Purewal picked the pocket of Rylands defender Jack Tinning but ‘keeper Graeme McCall was equal to his one-on-one effort.

And once again the hosts responded by showing their own threat minutes later when Milne whipped a ball in for Nevitt who improvised with his back to goal to get a shot away which went narrowly over.

Armstrong was again on the end of a Richardson corner in the 55th minute but this time he headed wide via a deflection.

Rylands started to see a bit of joy and Hebburn were sent a warning in the 57th minute when Milne worked space to shoot wide.

The hosts took the lead just a few minutes later. They worked the ball to Nevitt inside the box who had work to do with a crowd of bodies in the way, but he managed to find space to release a powerful low drive past Mark Foden.

The Hornets pushed for an equaliser. Olly Martin and Jack Lambert were sent on to inject fresh energy on the wings. However, Hebburn were seeing most of their attacks come to nothing.

This was until a corner at the very death. A delivery from the left flashed across goal and despite multiple stabs at it from close range the ball somehow went wide from close range.

With that, events were brought to a close at Gorsey Lane, and Hebburn’s 11-game FA Vase winning streak - including picking up the trophy – was brought to an end.

Warrington Rylands XI: McCall, Gerrard, Tinning, Kenny, Smith, Sheen (Coveney 45’), Doyle, Scarisbrick, Nevitt (Denman 90+3’), Milne, Shanley (Drummond 58’)

Unused subs: Emery, Freeman, Lees, F. Potter

Goals: Nevitt (60’)

Bookings: Gerrard (17’), Shanley (23’), Nevitt (86’)

Hebburn Town XI: Foden, Mullen, Carson, Storey, Lough, Spence, McKeown, T. Potter (Lambert 75’), Richardson, Purewal (Martin 62’), Armstrong

Unused subs: Coulson, Elefthheriadis, Donaghy, Hudson, Taylor

Bookings: Spence (89’)

Referee: Scott Simpson