After Saturday's poor Northern League showing Whitehaven took the opportunity to dump high flying Guisborough Town out of the Divisional Cup in midweek.

In truth this was an excellent game in which the visitors played their part, but for the first 20 minutes they seemed to have no answer to the pace of the home forwards. 

Playing an unusual 3-4-3 formation manager Martin Harris got his tactics right, and on six minutes Darren Donald put the finishing touch to a superb move involving Stuart Shaw, Carl McGrady and Craig Robson, the latter providing the final cross which Donald rifled home.

Leading scorer Kev Connelly then rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from another Robson cross, and David Dustin hit the goalkeeper with his effort when put in one on one. 

Guisborough responded with a Davies effort that fizzed across goal with home keeper Brian Miller scrambling, and an Onions drive that grazed the bar. 

Then after Portas bisected the home defence, Roberts brought a good save from Miller, but with half-time beckoning, Dustin spurned the chance to double the hosts lead when he fired weakly when well placed.

The tempo of the game was equally as good at the start of the second half.  Guisborough forced several corners as the home defence sat deeper, but 'keeper Miller and Gary Hodgson in particular kept them at bay. 

Miller then produced a flying save from the impressive Portas, but Whitehaven were quick to break, and after another flowing move involving Dustin and Shaw, Donald netted his second with a neat finish. 

Connelly then brought a great save from visiting 'keeper Gill who somehow kept out his volley with a reaction save, but Guisborough didn't let their heads drop and skipper Craig Lewis and Graeme Lilly had to make timely challenges to prevent them scoring. 

Miller then had to make his second good save of the night palming away a strong shot for a corner kick, and from the resultant ball in, Gary Hewitt cleared off the line after Bythway headed goalwards.

Then from the break up-field Donald completed his hat-trick with a clever lob to complete the scoring, and the hosts progressed to the semi-final for the second successive year.

"It was a fantastic result after Saturday's disappointment and the players responded really well to gain a comprehensive win against a very good side. I told them after the game what a professional performance they'd given and I was very proud of them," enthused manager Harris.

The League encounter against Guisborough away on Saturday sees the two teams compete for League points in an early re-match.
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Team: Miller, G.Hewitt, Hodgson, Lewis, Lilly, McGrady, Donald, Shaw, Dustin, Connelly, Robson.  Subs: S.Hewitt (74) Johnson, Collins.
 
After a long lay-off and repeated postponements, Whitehaven had given a lacklustre performance against a well drilled Whickham side on Saturday.

. Having beaten Whickham 6-1 away from home earlier in the season, perhaps Whitehaven could be forgiven for thinking that the return fixture would end the same way, and early exchanges seemed to support that view. 

But it didn’t work out like that as they lost 2-1 – a Craig Robson giving them parity in the second-half, only to be overhauled by a late Whickham winner.

Team.  Miller, Johnson, Lilly, Hodgson, Law, McGrady, Donald, Lewis, Shaw, Connelly, Robson.  Subs: Dustin (78) S.Hewitt (80) G.Hewitt(80)
 
 

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