Newcastle beat Chester to reach third round

Newcastle Town manager Greg Clowes expressed his delight after his side beat Chester 2-0 at the Lyme Valley Stadium.

The win leaves Town with a third-round clash against Chasetown on January 11.

Alan Nagington goal Pic: Joe Finnerty

Goals either side of half-time from Alan Nagington and Wayne Teague secured the win and Clowes said his side were superb.

He added: “When you are playing against these top team you have to try and get a foothold in the game and stay on top when you get a chance and we managed to do that.

“We knew they would ask questions of us but we were equal to them and stayed really solid at the back so I am delighted.”

Chester caused Newcastle some early problems from Mark Connelly’s dangerous free-kicks from the left, but Paul Donnelly and Ryan Dicker remained solid throughout the match to stop Chester scoring for the first time this season.

The first-half came to life when Nagington weaved his way into the box following Jordan Johnson’s cross, and smashed the ball across Chester’s Christopher Sanna low into the bottom left of the goal.

Newcastle had Andrew White to thank for staying in the lead at the break as he headed the ball off the line following Chester full-back Stuart Jones’s rifling header.

Wayne Teague 2-0 Pic: Joe Finnerty

Greg Clowes’s men started the second-half full of spirit and when Johnson’s cross from the right found Teague unmarked it was a gift for the young forward who made no mistake in heading home.

Town’s keeper Daniel Read was called into action to parry away a fierce shot by Steven Beck and Read had his defenders to thank after Donnelly blocked another Chester forward’s effort which was destined for goal.

Newcastle countered twice with Neville Thompson creating two glorious chances to put the game to bed, but the striker who is returning from injury shot straight at the Chester stopper.

Newcastle’s next match is away to Shepshed Dynamo on Saturday (December 18).

Peter Ward stresses Shotton will stay put

Peter Ward has stressed that striker Liam Shotton will stay at Kidsgrove Athletic despite interest from rivals Newcastle Town.

Liam Shotton

Shotton has bagged nine goals for Grove this season and Ward revealed that Newcastle had been in touch with the 23-year-old front man.

Ward said: “We have got Newcastle Town after Liam, but he is not going anywhere.

“We spoke to Liam and he is happy here, and he has a part to play with us.

“He would be in the same situation at Newcastle having to compete with Chris Budrys and Alan Nagington.”

Nagington’s late-winner seals three points for Newcastle Town

Newcastle Town manager Greg Clowes has stressed that his side’s last-gasp winner in their 2-1 win at Sutton Coldfield Town was deserved.

Alan Nagington

Clowes’s men went 1-0 up on 37 minutes through Daniel Skelton, but looked to be heading to a draw as Sutton Coldfield’s Harry Harris stepped up to level the scores.

But frontman Alan Nagington stepped up to the mark in the 93^rd minute, turning Sutton Coldfield’s centre-back and firing low in the bottom corner.

Clowes said: “It was a deserved result. I felt we created a number of chances throughout the game and we deserved the winner at the end.”

The win keeps Town in fifth-spot and two wins with their games in hand can lift Clowes’s men to third.

Newcastle’s next match is on Tuesday (Nov 16) against Kidsgrove Athletic.

Kick-off is 7.45pm.