Newcastle United have provided a major financial boost to non-league neighbours Heaton Stannington. A Magpies Under-21 side made the short trip to the Northern Premier League club’s Grounsell Park home on Tuesday night after the two sides were paired in the Northumberland Senior Cup semi-final.
It was ‘The Stan’ who came out on top with a commanding performance against a United side containing the likes of highly-rated attacking midfielder Jay Turner-Cooke and former AC Milan youngster Cathal Heffernan. In front of a bumper crowd of over 1,650, Dean Nicholson’s side, who compete in the fourth tier of the non-league game, took the lead on the quarter-hour mark with a goal from Leighton Hopper before the Magpies were reduced to ten men when midfielder Scott Bailey was shown a second yellow card just before half-time.
The hosts made the most of their numerical advantage after the restart and doubled their lead with a goal from former Lincoln City youngster Bailey Adamson before rounding off a difficult night for their hosts when Alfie Marriott grabbed a third in the closing stages.
The defeat was the heaviest suffered by a United side in the Senior Cup since the likes of David Edgar, Matty Pattison and Peter Ramage, who was watching on from the Grounsell Park stand on Tuesday, fell to a 4-0 loss at Bedlington Terriers 21 years ago. The Stan will now return to their relegation battle in the Northern Premier League East Division as they look to extend their first ever visit to the fourth tier of non-league football beyond a solitary season.
They do so on the back of what is heading towards a five-figure financial boost after Newcastle agreed to hand over their share of the gate receipts and helped their non-league neighbours by providing stewarding a medical cover.
A statement released on Wednesday morning read: “A huge thank you to Newcastle United for supporting last night’s fixture by providing stewarding and medical cover. Newcastle United have also donated their share of the gate receipts back to us. This gesture is hugely appreciated and will be of huge help to us.”
The win means the Stan will compete in the Senior Cup Final for the first time since 1980 and Northern Premier League Premier Division club Morpeth Town will provide their opponents at St James Park. For manager Dean Nicholson and assistant manager Andy McBride, two lifelong Magpies supporters, the dream of leading their side out of Gallowgate is now a reality.
Speaking after the game, Nicholson told Chronicle Live: “I never ever thought it would happen so to get there is huge. For me, for Andy, the staff, volunteers, players, everyone involved, what a night we will have. We will go there to try and win the cup. I am sure Morpeth will be the same and it’s a really tough test – but it’s a cup final, we are both in it together and I am sure the best team will win.”
Heaton Stannington return to league action on Saturday when they visit Northern Premier League East Division rivals Ossett United.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-gesture-hugely-appreciated-31185439
