Match Report 11/10/2023
Billingham Synthonia 0, Easington Colliery 3

Durham Challenge Cup 1st Round

Teams:
Billingham Synthonia: O Sompson, Winstanley, Lines (C), Scaife-Wheately, Heap (Groom), McLeod, Bruton (Banki), Lavan (O Johnson), Williams (Noble), Willshaw, S Johnson. Unused Sub; Dalgleish.
Easington Colliery: Lowerson, Richards, Nelson, Best, Barnett, Trewick, Hunter, Anderson, McBryde, Weirs (C), Roper. Subs; Pearn, Elliott, Forster, Ashton, Eltringham.

Billingham exited this season's Durham County Cup with Easington progressing after scoring three unanswered goals.

Easington opened the scoring inside two minutes when a ball through from Thomas Best for MATTHEW WEIRS to the left of goal saw the Colliery skipper finish well with a shot under Synners keeper Ollie Simpson from a tight angle.

The visitors contiunued to pose a threat with a close range shot blocked and then a shot from outside the box going over the bar. Billingham responded when a Joe Scaife-Wheatley free-kick into the box saw keeper Antony Lowerson save.

Esington Colliery doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute with a ball left to JAY ROPER seeing him advance into the box and finish well with a shot into the far corner of the net.

It would be the visitors who continued to look the likey to score when, after a shot over the bar, they were denied by Simpson with a close range save from Roper following a ball across goal from the left.

Half-time: Synners 0, Easington Colliery 2

After the break and the Synthonia forward line began to see sight of the visitors goal with Stevie Johnson shooting from the left which was saved by Lowerson. Matty Willshaw then had a shot from outside of the box, but over the bar.

Willshaw was denied by the cross-bar when he was put through by Carl Williams, however the assistant referee already had a flag up for an offside. Johnson on the left then played the ball into substitute Callum Banki with his shot bringing a good save out of Lowerson as Synners continued to look for a way back into the game.

Synthonia continued to threaten with a free-kick into the box being cleared as far as Ash Lavan who shot just past the right hand post. Easington then responded with a shot on goal striking the cross-bar before being cleared off the goal-line; claims that the ball had crossed the line were waved away.

Easington finished the game the better of the two sides and after a shot had hit the left hand post, they added a third goal in the 85th minute when they had space going forward with substitute Kevin Pearn laying the ball off for DYLAN ELLIOTT to the left and he finished well with a shot into the far side of the goal.

Full-time: Synners 0, Easington Colliery 3

Referee: R Goodman, Assistants: K McKitterick, H Foster-Boyd.

Attendance: 36

Match highlights from SynnersTV on YouTube