Grainger Park’S #Paul Harding says the highlight of the club’s Cup run for him was the storming 6-0 semi-final success at Tyneside Amateur League side Stobswood Welfare.
“When you go to these places it is always into the unknown because you’re not sure what standard they are at and you haven’t seen their players play,” he said.
“So even though the opponents play in a lower league, you still can't be too confident of progressing. We got a bit lost on the way up there, due to the driver (me) following the directions from a player’s phone’s sat nav.
We got there. It was raining quite heavy and the pitch was heavy but we started well and were comfortable winners at the end of 90 minutes.”
#The West End side were 4-0 winners over Gosforth Bohemians Reserves in Round Two and they went to Willington Quay Saints in Round Three – coming away with a 6-3 success.
Things got a little more interesting in the Fourth round as #Grainger were held to a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes by Cullercoats, but the Greens struck twice in extra time to book a quarter-final place.
Grainger were 2-1 winners over Monkseaton to go into the final four where they met Stobswood Welfare – and hit them for six.
Grainger Park’s route to the Final
Round Two Grainger Park 4 Gosforth Bohs Res 0
Round Three Willington Quay Saints 3 Grainger Park 6
Round Four Grainger Park 4 Cullercoats 2 (AET)
Quarter Finals Grainger Park 2 Monkseaton 1
Semi Finals Stobswood Welfare 0 Grainger Park 6
The Northumberland Fa Minor Cup Final takes place on Friday 28th April 2017 at the Northumberland FA’s Whitley Park ground. Kick-off 7.30pm. Entry is £4.50 and £2.50 for concessions.
How to get there
The Ideal Stelrad Minor Cup is the Northumberland FA’s biggest competition in numbers of entrants with clubs from towns, villages and urban areas in the Northern Football Alliance, North Northumberland, Tyneside Amateur and Newcastle Corinthians Leagues all taking part in the competition.
The first winners of the competition were Heaton Wanderers way back in 1899 and Ponteland United lifted the silverware last season for the first time when they secured a 3-1 win over Alnmouth United in extra time in another all-Northern Alliance showpiece.
This is Grainger Park's first appearance in the County Minor Cup Final. Whitley Park is easily accessible by road or Metro with the Benton stop being just a brief seven-minute walk away. Please see the Hazlerigg Victory preview for full directions.