Police arrest the Hanson cup run to book semi final place

Hambleton Black Sheep Brewery League Challenge Cup Quarter Final

Hanson Sports 1 Northallerton Police 2
by Ricky Butler at the Colburn Leisure Centre

Division one leaders Northallerton Police were made to fight all the way for their place in the semi final of the League Challenge Cup by division two promotion chasers Hanson Sports at the Colburn Leisure Centre last Sunday.
The hosts, who had beaten another side from division one, Colburn Town, in the previous round, kicked down the hill and with the wind in the first half and they were close to grabbing an early lead. Wayne Gredziak was brought down 30 yards from goal and his powerful free kick only just cleared Danny Yates' crossbar with the Police keeper at full stretch.

The visitors were struggling to get into their rhythm in the early stages but they came close to going in front on ten minutes when a cross from the left by Rob Fraser was deflected goalwards by a Hanson defender and goalkeeper Darren Nebbitt had to react smartly to keep it out.

However it was the hosts who should have been in front by the break. Yates did well to deny Mark Forrest midway through the half while a header from Liam Hall was then cleared off the line by Nathan Hemingbrough, who was keeping guard at the near post.

The Police came out at the start of the second period looking to take advantage of the conditions and Chris Walker shot just wide within two minutes of the resumption, while a free kick from Hemingbrough was then tipped over the top by the acrobatic Nesbitt at full stretch.

But the goal they had been threatening finally arrived twenty-three minutes from time, and what a strike it was. Hemingbrough won the ball just inside the Hanson half before setting off on a powerful run past two defenders and firing low past Nesbitt from 25 yards.

The hosts looked down and out but to their credit they regrouped and fashioned an equaliser just five minutes later when Stuart Pigg whipped in a dangerous cross from the right and Mark Finlay arrived unmarked to powerfully head beyond Yates from 10 yards.

It was now very much game on as Hanson sensed another upset but the Police finished the tie strongly and Chris Foster had already been denied by man of the match Nesbitt when Chris Pattison grabbed the winner four minutes from time. Fraser did well down the right and he showed great awareness to pull the back from the bye-line for the on-rushing winger to drill first time beyond Nesbitt and set up a semi final meeting with either holders Richmond Turf or Sportsmans FC next month.