Middlesbrough 5 Northallerton Town 0
A YOUNG Boro side brought some silverware to the club tonight when they won the North Riding Senior Cup at Central Avenue, Billingham.
Credit should be paid to both sides for an entertaining game played predominantly in the right spirit.
It was a keenly contested affair for much of the first half, despite Boro effectively outing the tie out of reach with three goals in 16 minutes.
Northallerton had chances, their organised style of play, so effective in getting them to the final, again in evidence. Carl Chillingsworth went close on a couple of occasions, Michael Waller and Ross Diamond also giving Boro plenty to think about.
But a well-worked goal on 26 minutes gave Steve Agnew's side the lead with Graeme Owens and Josh Walker instrumental in setting up Nathan Porritt who tucked in from the edge of the six-yard box.
More good football five minutes later presented captain Jonathan Grounds with a simple chance which he tucked in from inside the six-yard box.
Three minutes from the break Graeme Owens looked almost embarrassed as he curled in Boro's third direct from a corner - he meant it, Town goalkeeper Sam Dobbs was the one with the red face.
Both sides stuck to their principles throughout, Dobbs atoning for his misjudgement with two top-class saves to deny Josh Walker, Boro goalkeeper Jason Steele needed to go full-length to divert a low drive from Karl Charlton, while Chris Walker only just missed the target when shooting for goal under pressure on the angled edge of the six-yard box.
Somehow Shaun Saiko managed to clear the crossbar from seven yards with the goal at his mercy before Chillingsworth his straight at Steele from the D on the edge of the box.
But a fourth goal did arrive 85 minutes from time when James Cronesberry stuck to his guns inside the penalty area to ride challenges and tuck in from 12 yards.
Just seconds after the fourth official had indicated a minimum of three additional minutes at the end of the game, Gary Martin shot for goal from 20 yards, his effort took a wicked deflection, looping up to give Dobbs little chance of preventing Boro's fifth.
TEAMS:
Middlesbrough: Steele; Hillerby, Grounds, Walker, Smith, Owens (Martin 46), Saiko, Franks (Furness 71), Thompson, Porritt (Cronesberry 64), Bennett. Unused subs: Atkinson (gk); Burton.
Northallerton Town: Dobbs; Kasonali (Walker 70), Gamble, Williams, Jackson, Waller, O'Riordan (McNicol 65), Diamond, Chillingsworth, Bowes (Anderson 55), Charlton. Unused subs: Carter, Toman, Cooke, Wright.
Referee: Mr S.Rowntree, York.