Rio Allan and Mo Fadera fire Scarborough Athletic to FA Cup victory at Dunston
A dominant second-half performance secured Boro their place in the next round of the FA Cup, as goals from Rio Allan and Mo Fadera, plus a formidable defensive display, with skipper Will Thornton outstanding on his 250th competitive appearance, sealed a 2-0 win at NPL East high-fliers Dunston on a blustery afternoon in Gateshead.
There was a debut from the bench for former Nottingham Forest Academy midfielder Alfie Bradshaw.
Both sides created chances in an evenly contested first half, but neither keeper was really tested.
For the hosts, captain Michael Pearson fired narrowly over, Keiran Weledji hacked clear when Harvey Neary played the ball into a crowded goalmouth, Ben Ramsey blazed wide and a fabulous last-ditch tackle from Alex Purver Hannan halted a run into the box from Pearson.
Boro efforts saw Alex Brown tee up Allan who volleyed over, Jack Waldron squared to Luca Colville, who flashed his shot wide, and Dom Tear headed to Allan, who fired into the chest of keeper Oliver Marshall.
Dunston probably shaded possession, but Thornton and Jake Hull were excellent at the back, winning all the high balls, and Thornton tackled JJ O’Donnell when he burst forward.
When they did get sight of goal, Ramsey shot wide, Dan Stephenson bent a free kick round the wall and wide of goal, and Wilson Kneeshaw passed to O’Donnell, who fired into the arms of of Boro keeper Ryan Whitley, their only shot on target all game.
In chances for Boro, Hull glanced a header wide from an Alex Brown throw, Luke Hall jinked down the left and teed up Waldron, whose shot was blocked by Jude Swailes, and a Tear header was scrambled off the line by Swailes.
Boro completely bossed the second half, with Brown rampaging down the left, Allan turning on the style wide right, and Hall, Colville and Purver Hannan dominant in midfield.
Tear latched onto a Colville through-ball but was tackled by Stephenson, Waldron twice had shots blocked by Tom Devitt, and Brown cut in from the wing before firing wide.
In a rare Dunston attack, a David Robinson shot was blocked by Thornton, but Boro, who had now introduced the pacy Mo Fadera from the bench, were soon back on top.
Fadera and Hall combined to send Colville clear, but keeper Marshall raced out to save with his legs, an Allan shot was blocked by Devitt, and Fadera jinked into the box but was tackled by Swailes.
Fadera teed up Colville, who forced a diving save from Marshall, before the deadlock was broken when Hull passed forward to Allan, who raced down the right, cut inside and switched to his left foot to sublimely curl his shot into the top left corner - a fabulous goal.
At the other end Whitley dived to smother a low cross into his area from Devitt, then Boro doubled their lead, as Fadera and Allan exchanged passes, the latter placing a through-ball into the area and Fadera neatly slotted past the keeper.
Hall had a shot saved, then the hosts pushed forward but Boro were solid at the back, with Michael Duckworth, back from illness, impressing with a some skilful ball play under pressure.
The last chance of the game fell to Boro, when Thornton had a shot deflected wide by Swailes just before the final whistle.
DUNSTON - Marshall, H.Neary, Stephenson, Turnbull (Edwards 64), Swailes, Devitt, O’Donnell (Shaw 63), Pearson(c) (Taylor 76), Kneeshaw (F.Neary 76), Robinson, Ramsey (Turner 55), unused subs - Baxter, McDonald.
BORO - Whitley, Weledji (Duckworth 73), Brown, Hull, Thornton(c), Purver Hannan, Hall, Waldron (Bradshaw 78), Allan (Stuttard 87), Tear (Fadera 60), Colville, unused sub - Wiles.
REFEREE - Scott Henry.
BORO GOALS - Rio Allan 71, Mo Fadera 75.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - DUNSTON 7 (1 on target) BORO 19 (7 on target).
CORNERS - DUNSTON 0 BORO 5.
OFFSIDES - DUNSTON 0 BORO 1.
YELLOW CARDS - Dan Turner, Michael Pearson (Dunston), Alfie Bradshaw (Boro).
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Will Thornton.
ATTENDANCE - 482 (170 away).