10 man Star beaten by the games only goal.

Adam Wrightson netted West’s winning goal in the 55^th minute. Seaham were reduced to 10 men 5 minutes before the break when Sean McRoberts received a harsh red card after the referee Mr Conroy had been conned by the West Auckland defender.

In a lively opening ten minutes both keepers were forced into saves as both sides tried to gain an early advantage. Visiting keeper Jonathan Ball kept out a shot from McRoberts whilst at the other end Andy Jennison did well to block David Dowson’s effort. Seaham were having the better of the exchanges with McRoberts having another couple of efforts fly over the bar and Jason Blackburn having a goal disallowed after latching onto the loose ball from a charged down drive from Johnson.

The visitors were always in the game and both Jordan Blinco and Wrightson were just wide of the mark with a couple of good attempts on goal. Five minutes before the break McRoberts was sent off when a challenge on the full back saw the player go down and Mr Conroy immediately produce a red card.

West soon took advantage of having the extra man and 10 minutes into the second period Wrightson raced in from the right wing and fired past Jennison to give the visitors the lead. Instead of capitalising West were forced onto the back foot for most of the remaining 30 minutes as the Star pressed for an equaliser. Substitutes Taylor Richardson and Tom Lawson were in the thick of the action with Richardson hitting the goal frame twice and Lawson shooting narrowly wide twice and once over the bar from a great position.

With Seaham definitely in the supremacy the equaliser looked on the cards. Perhaps the best chance fell to Paul Gardiner in the 75^th minute but his well hit shot rose just over the bar. Keeper Ball made some good stops and commanded his six yard box well. Having survived the Stars onslaught West Auckland’s Anthony Bell broke clear and forced Jennison into his only save of the half in added time.    

Full Time 0-1

Seaham Red Star: Jennison, Hailes, Weldon, Henderson (Sullivan), Hawkins, Tumilty (Richardson), McRoberts, Gardiner, Johnson (Lawson), Blackburn, Waite

Unused subs: Greenwood, Morland