Birtley Town vs Thornaby

Recap

Birtley Town marched into the last eight of the League Cup with a convincing 5-0 victory over Thornaby on Tuesday evening.

The Hoops welcomed back Sam Hedley, Josh Strassheim, Kyle Wharton and Jack Honour into the side, Honour making his first start for the club in nearly two years. Thornaby showed in the early stages just why they are pushing for a 2nd division play-off place when Ryan Wright broke the offside trap but he fired over from just wide of the goal. Birtley had their first opportunity moments later as Scott Heslop went through on goal but Lewis McDonald was able to save. Heslop was not to be denied his third goal in as many games as Luke Carr’s deflected effort fell to the Birtley number 9. Heslop composed himself before dinking the ball over McDonald to open the scoring. Heslop turned provider on twenty minutes as he played in Nick Marley. Marley took a couple of touches before slotting the ball into the Thornaby net.

Thornaby were still threatening with both wingers and Wright showing blistering pace when given the opportunity. On 38 minutes, a superb ball over the top from Kaleb Young found Heslop who tried for a second lob but he put slightly too much on it and it landed on the roof of the net. Heslop fired a long-range volley just wide on the stroke of half-time.

HALF TIME | Birtley Town 2-0 Thornaby

The second half started with Birtley looking to score a third goal and cement their place in the last eight. Birtley had the ball in the back of the net in the early stages but Scott Heslop was flagged offside. Moments later Jack Honour had a header from close range which McDonald saved well before Kaleb Young fired over. A series of substitutions took place with Matty Ward and Owen Lancaster being introduced for Jack Honour and Luke Carr. Birtley supporters delighted that Honour’s return continued with another sixty minutes under his belt. Birtley finally had a third in the 73rd minute as Heslop played a beautiful one-two with Marley before slotting the ball low into the corner. Heslop was immediately replaced by Kelvin Thear as the game entered the final twenty minutes. 

An off the ball incident saw Max Booth booked and a Birtley free-kick awarded in a dangerous position. Kelvin Thear delivered and Nick Marley was on hand to head home his second of the game. Marley once again turned provider on 83 minutes as held the ball for Kelvin Thear. Thear swivelled between two defenders before finding the bottom corner, a beautiful piece of skill and a sublime finish. In the dying stages, a brilliant through ball over the top found Thear on the corner of the box. Thear spotted the keeper off his line but his neat lobbed effort clipped the crossbar.

FULL TIME | Birtley Town 5-0 Thornaby 

A fourth successive victory for Birtley as they booked their place in the last eight of the Brooks Mileson Cup for only the second time in their history. Another clean sheet for Birtley ensured their fourth consecutive shutout in a row, Birtley stat man Munch quickly announcing the last time The Hoops achieved four clean sheets in a row was in the 22/23 season and some 125 games ago. 

Attendance – 101

Player of the Match – Nick Marley

NEXT UP…

Birtley host West Auckland Town on Friday evening before their attention will turn to the Quarter Final tie against Boro Rangers the following Tuesday. All attention now goes back to an important league game as Birtley look to secure their first division status. Kick-off is 7.30pm. 

Cup Update

Brooks Mileson Memorial – 2nd Round
Boldon CA 2 -1 Whitley Bay
Shildon 4-1 Newcastle Benfield
Chester-le-Street Town 2-3 Newcastle University
West Auckland 6-0 Redcar Town
Carlisle City 1-5 Alnwick Town
Sunderland West End 5-3 Darlington Town
Billingham (2) 2-2* (4) Yarm & Eaglescliffe
Penrith 1-4 Northallerton Town
Boro Rangers 2-0 Jarrow
Horden CW 1-3 Blyth Town
West Allotment Celtic 3-2 Guisborough Town
Crook Town 1-2 Thornaby
Seaham Red Star 2-1 Kendal Town
Chester-le-Street United 2-1 Grangetown Boys Club
Easington Colliery 3-0 North Shields
Birtley Town 3-0 Bedlington Terriers

Brooks Mileson Memorial – 3rd Round
Shildon 6-0 Alnwick Town
Chester-le-Street United (6) 2-2* (7) Boro Rangers
Seaham Red Star 0-3 Boldon CA
Northallerton Town 0-2 West Auckland
Sunderland West End 3-2 Yarm & Eaglescliffe
Newcastle University 0-1 Blyth Town
Birtley Town 5-0 Thornaby
Easington Colliery 4-0 West Allotment Celtic

Brooks Mileson Memorial – Quarter Final Draw (Ties to be played 18th/19th March)
Birtley Town vs Boro Rangers
Sunderland West End vs Easington Colliery
West Auckland vs Shildon (Tie to be played at Shildon)
Blyth Town vs Boldon CA

H2H v Thornaby

INDIVIDUAL GAMES

HIGHLIGHTS

To follow…