Scarborough Athletic handed FA Cup opener at Dunston UTS
Scarborough Athletic’s opening match in the Emirates FA Cup this season is a trip to Northern Premier League Division East high-flyers Dunston UTS FC on Saturday September 19.
The draw, which was made on Monday afternoon, saw Jono Greening’s troops pitted against the North East side, which is managed by Jon McDonald, a week on Saturday, with £3,375 going to the winner of the tie, the beaten side receiving £1,125.
The Seadogs last made the trip to UTS Stadium during their 2024-25 FA Cup campaign.
The tie ended 1-1 at the UTS Stadium with Alex Wiles on target, before a replay the following Tuesday saw Boro progress with a 5-2 victory.
Wiles was on the scoresheet again for Boro, as was Kieran Weledij, Dom Tear, loanee Cam Wilson and Luke Rees.
Greening was frustrated that a new rule had contributed to Saturday’s shock 1-0 loss at home to National League North strugglers Telford, defender Jake Hull being forced to stay off the pitch for a minute after a shot struck him in the face, the winner being scored with Boro down to 10 men.
Greening said: “It was difficult to take really as we have been stitched up by that new rule that if you get treatment on the pitch you have to stay off for a minute.
"We got lucky in the first half when Wilesy clashed heads just before half-time and he had to come off for a minute, it was lucky because their player who clashed heads with him also had to stay off for a minute so we could deal with that.
“Hully takes one in his face from six yards out blasted straight into his face, he gets treatment on the pitch as he is feeling dizzy and he has to come of the pitch for one minute, and we get 10 or 30 seconds into that minute and they score. It’s still disappointing because we went to 4-4-1, put Wally right back and Kieza centre-back so there shouldn’t have been any problems but they just found that little gap and it’s a good finish.
“They maybe had one chance before that when Whits came out to save it, but apart from that we have had all the ball and they played 3-5-2 and let us have all the ball, we tried to move them from side to side, we tried to get into good areas where we could be 2 v 1, but fair play to them they were a solid five and their big centre-half headed most things away.
"It is frustrating as I think we keep Hully on the pitch I think it is a 0-0 draw.”