Match Report 12/9/2023
Sunderland West End 3, Billingham Synthonia 4

Durham Challenge Cup Preliminary Round

Teams:
Sunderland West End: Charlton, Judson, Ajayi, Brown, Hall, Hodgson, Lawton, Upperton, Lane (C), Goldsmith, Logan. Subs; Chapman, Winter.
Billingham Synthonia: Dalgleish, Wilson, Winstanley, Kirkbride (O Johnson), Heap (Banki), McLeod, Caygill (Bruton), Travers (C), Williamson, Tucker (Noble), Boyce (Ferguson).

Synners progressed to the next round of the Durham County Cup with a close fought 4-3 win.

West End had the first chance of the game when they advanced on the Billingham goal with Charlie Upperton forcing a save out of Walter Dalgleish. It was Synthoni who opened the scoring though, when in the 3rd minute AXEL TUCKER won possession off keeper Lewis Charlton in the box and fired home into the net.

In a fast paced end-to-end game Tucker again saw sight of goal as he shot from the right which Charlton saved. Then Ryu Williamson had a shot which went wide of the target. West End responded and levelled the game up in the 27th minute when ETHAN GOLDSMITH received the ball on the edge of the box and saw his shot past Dalgleish and into the net.

Billingham regained the advantage in the 33rd minute with Tucker jinking his way past West End defenders to the left in the box before passing across goal for RYU WILLIAMSON to net from close range.

Sunderland West End levelled again in the 39th minute with a strong run on the left bye-line seeing a ball across goal for BEN LAWTON to net from close range.

The hosts threatened again with Dalgleish making a save from a shot on the edge of the penalty area, then Synners advanced with Tucker on the right having a shot on goal which was saved by Charlton, then Tucker again got possession and played right to RYU WILLIAMSON who saw his initial shot saved by the keeper before netting the rebound in added-on time to give Synners the lead at the break.

Half-time: Sunderland West End 2, Synners 3

The game continued to ebb and flow in the second half with Callum Banki for Billingham having a shot from outside the box which was comfortable for Charlton. A corner from the left for the home side saw a close range effort on goal which Dalgleish was able to smother.

After a Mitch Noble shot was tipped over the bar by Charlton, West End advanced and levelled the game up for the third time when after Dalgleish had made a couple of good saves, they continued to press and a ball in from the right to GLEN LANE saw him rifle a shot home from a central position outside the box in the 65th minute.

Both sides continued to create chances with the game finely poised as Noble shot just wide for Synners then a shot from the right for the home side saw Dalgleish push the ball over the bar.

More chances ensued with Synners advancing and Alex Bruton shooting on goal which Charlton stopped. Then a Bruton free-kick was heading into the net, but Charlton was able to tip the ball over.

Billingham took the lead once more when in the 85th minute substitute Oakley Johnson hooked the ball into the box for RYU WILLIAMSON to finish from close range for his hat-trick.

Sunderland had late chances to send the game to penalty kicks, but Dalgleish made a stop with the resulting corner seeing a shot over the bar. Then a shot from inside the box was blocked by a Synners defender to see them into the next round.

Full-time: Sunderland West End 3, Synners 4

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

Attendance: 80

Match highlights from SynnersTV on YouTube