Holders Boro knocked out of North Riding FA Cup by Yarm & Eaglescliffe

On-loan keeper Alex Walpole and defender Leon Gibson-Booth were handed starts by boss Jono Greening, and Charlie Colley stepped up from the reserves onto the bench, while Alex Purver returned after his two-game suspension.

Yarm included Josh Larkin who had played for South Park Rangers against Boro in the 2023 final, and debutant Cameron Thomson, newly signed from Crook Town.

Playing against a strong wind in the first half, Boro just never got going, Harry Stewart-Tichiner curled a free-kick wide, and Harry Williams fired over for Yarm, who then took the lead when Stewart-Tichiner hoisted the ball forward to Larkin, who smashed his shot past Walpole. Steve Roberts then volleyed wide, and Jake Hull tackled Sam Conway on the edge of the box.

Boro struggled to create chances, Foster Garton hacked an Alex Brown cross clear, and Ste Walker’s through ball to Rio Allan who cut out by Leo Cheesebrough, then Waldron laid off to Walker, whose low drive forced a good diving save from keeper Callum Roberts.

Walker sent a shot into the chest of the keeper, and Larkin did likewise at the other end. Harry Green had a couple of jinking runs, and Theo Chapman also looked lively, setting up a chance for Green, who forced a decent save from Callum Roberts. Just before the interval, Allan drove a free kick into the Yarm wall.

After a triple substitution at the interval, and now with the wind in their favour, Boro began the second half much better.

A Dom Tear through-ball sent Chapman clear, but the keeper did well to tip away his shot, an in-swinging Alex Purver corner was headed off the line by Garton, but another wind-assisted corner floated over by Purver from the left, evaded everyone and curled into the net to level the scores.

Two minutes later Boro took the lead, again from a Purver corner from the left, as Will Thornton firmly planted his headed past the keeper. Tear then crossed to Gibson-Booth, whose header was cleared off the line by Peter Bulmer.

The game became a little feisty, and Boro had chances to increase their lead. A mazy run from Green ended with his fierce 20-yard shot forcing a terrific save from Callum Roberts, then Allan had a shot held by the keeper, Chapman fired narrowly wide, and Richie Bennett teed up Allan, whose shot was held by the keeper.

Gibson-Booth blocked a Larkin shot, and they equalised late on, when Williams squared to Thomson, who clinically slotted past Walpole. Boro’s best chance of a late winner saw Colley fire narrowly over, as the game went to a dramatic penalty shoot out, which Yarm won 6-5 in sudden death, Ethan Jones scoring the decisive penalty after Jack Waldron had blasted his effort over the bar.

PENALTY SHOOT-OUT (Boro went first) 5-6

BORO - Maloney (scored), Allan (scored), Bennett (scored), Green (scored), Tear (saved), Chapman (scored), Waldron (over bar)

YARM - Wild (scored), Stewart-Tichiner (scored), Cheesebrough (scored), Williams (scored), Thomson (hit post), Catnach (scored), Jones (scored)

BORO - Walpole, Weledji (Tear 46), Brown (Colley 69), Hull (Thornton 46), Gibson-Booth, Purver (c) (Maloney 69), Green, Allan, Walker (Bennett 46), Waldron, Chapman.

YARM - C.Roberts, Garton (Dalton 54), Bulmer (Thomson 63), Jones, Wild (c), Cheesebrough, Stewart-Tichiner, Conway, Williams, Larkin (Nicholson 81) S.Roberts (Innes 59) (Catnach 90).

REFEREE - Tom Ross.

BORO GOALS - Alex Purver 48, Will Thornton 50; YARM GOALS - Josh Larkin 16, Cameron Thomson 83.

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 13 (9 on target) YARM 6 (3 on target).

CORNERS - BORO 9 YARM 3.

OFFSIDES - BORO 1 YARM 1.

YELLOW CARDS - Purver (Boro), Larkin, C Roberts (Yarm).

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Harry Green.

ATTENDANCE - 156 (10 away).