WARRINGTON Rylands have ensured the town's interest in this year's FA Cup will last for at least one more round.
They had to come from behind to do it, but two goals in three second-half minutes proved decisive as they prevailed in their replay against Newton Aycliffe at Gorsey Lane.
Sam Burns' deflected effort from the edge of the area midway through the second half edged Mark Duffy's side in front, with Luke Porter's near-post finish shortly afterwards giving them more comfort.
That came after the lower-ranked hosts had taken a surprise lead when Cieran Jackson slotted home after latching onto a flick-on from Dean Thexton, whose equaliser on Saturday had ensured the need for a replay.
Ntumba Massanka then levelled for Rylands before the break, nodding home from on the goalline after Ben Hardcastle's cross had been turned onto the crossbar by a Newton defender.
Blues will now host National League North side Scarborough Athletic, who beat Dunston in a replay on Tuesday, in the third qualifying round on Saturday, September 28.
Read Matt Turner's full match verdict below
EVENTUALLY, the expected outcome of this tie became reality.
Warrington Rylands would have liked to have got there more comfortably and without the need for a replay, and they really would have preferred not to have to come from behind.
However, they got the desired outcome in the end and it is them who will continue to fly the Warrington flag in this year’s FA Cup.
In a replay that was so frantic that any kind of flow was barely possible, the victory was one Rylands merited based on the general run of play.
It was them who carried the greater threat, even if the goal that eventually broke the game open came during their visitors’ most lively spell of the game.
There was a fitting scorer of it as well – there may have been an element of fortune in the finish itself as the previously steadfast Jim Pollard in the Newton Aycliffe goal was beaten by a deflection, but a goal was the least Sam Burns deserved having been by far the game’s stand-out player.
Starts have become increasingly rare for the wideman, but he could have done little more here to convince his manager that he should be more of a permanent fixture in his team.
And once Luke Porter had breached a shellshocked visiting defence just three minutes later, the tie was done and dusted.
Pollard had kept them at bay in the first half with three excellent saves and when Cieran Jackson converted the lower-ranked visitors’ first opportunity, it looked like one of those nights.
It wasn’t in the end, and now Blues will hope this cup run that now takes them to a meeting with Scarborough Athletic can provide the momentum to turn around their league form.
Warrington Rylands: Pilling, Smith, Dwyer, Regan, Neild, Furman, Hardcastle, Morris (Hough), Massanka, Porter (Morris), Burns (Baillie). Subs not used: Rooney, Hurst, Thompson
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