Stockton Town progressed into the final of the Durham Challenge Cup for the first time with a dominant victory over Northern League Horden.
Kevin Hayes gave the Anchors a slender first-half lead, but a relentless second-half was helped by goals from Jake Petitjean, Michael Sweet, Josh Scott and Kevin Hayes again to seal progression.
Tom Coulthard returned to the lineup after missing last week’s game against Prescot Cables.
The opening to the match pretty much described how a majority of the first 60 minutes would go, with Horden goalkeeper Robert Dean keeping the Anchors out on a number of occasions.
Adam Nicholson rattled the crossbar with a header from a corner in the 20th minute.
But just two minutes later, Stockton found the front when Josh Scott laid a ball into the path of Kevin Hayes who finally found a way past Dean to open the scoring.
Nathan Harker made his only save of the game in the 23rd minute, and it was a crucial one too, getting low to stop a strike from inside his box.
Horden nearly found an equaliser after a mistake in the Anchors’ half, Jack Pounder’s effort had beaten Nathan Harker, but couldn’t beat Ryan Barrett who was waiting on the line to clear.
A minute later, Horden had Dean to thank again as he tipped a header from Jake Petitjean over the crossbar from a mere few yards away.
Half-time: Stockton Town 1-0 Horden CW
Stockton piled on the pressure in the early stages of the second-half, but everything they threw at Robert Dean was met by save after save from the veteran shot-stopper.
It was Jake Petitjean who eventually found a way past Dean for a crucial second goal, after Josh Scott did well again to hold the ball up, feeding a pass which allowed Petitjean to simply slot home.
Only a minute later, Kevin Hayes added a third in emphatic fashion, taking aim and unleashing a rocket perfectly into the top corner from a long way away.
Hayes was involved in Stockton’s fourth, playing a corner into the box which Michael Sweet powered home via his head, making Stockton’s spot in final all but confirmed.
Substitute Chuka Unigwe nearly had his first Stockton goal, but he was denied by Dean from inside the box.
With the last kick of the game, Josh Scott marked his name on the scoresheet, perfectly placing a free-kick into the top corner, confirming Stockton’s progression with a 5-0 win.
Full-time: Stockton Town 5-0 Horden CW
Stockton will meet Northern League Shildon in the final at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, and have the chance to win their first trophy since 2017 on Tuesday 14th April.
