The magic of the FA Cup came to West Street on Saturday with the visit of West Auckland Town from the Northern league Division One. Technically a division Above Winterton it was expected to be a tough tie for Rangers.

With only Steve Atkinson missing from the squad Mark Whitehouse, Pete Daniel picked the same side that thumped Tadcaster with the inclusion of Mark Whitehouse replacing Dave Ricardo in the midfield.

Both sides started tentatively, West Auckland looking very accomplished on the ball with Rangers chasing shadows in the early moments of the game. The weather looked as if it was going to play a part in the proceedings as a strong wind blew down the pitch and into Rangers faces, producing several squally showers to dampen the game.

As West Auckland looked to pass an opening through Steve Robinsons defence, rangers looked more decisive sending Holt and Northen through with more direct incisive passing. West Auckland tested Simpson’s goal early on with a drive from Fairhurst that Ben smothered well. Rangers responded with a Whitehouse shot from the edge that went wide on 9mins.

Then on 13 minutes Holt manufactured a shooting chance on the edge of the box only for a timely challenge from West Auckland combative Daniel Key taking the sting off the drive. Two minutes later and Winterton were in front. A ball towards Holt on the edge was held up by the strong wind; Holt judged it well to get a head to it directing it to Whitehouse coming in from the left. He skipped past a challenge and into the box before firing in a fierce drive past the static Bell in the West Auckland goal. 1-0 15mins.

The game was very tight, West Auckland edging possession and asking a few questions of the Winterton defence, on 20mins an attack down the right had drawn Rangers over leaving them exposed on the left which was found with a deep cross, as Rangers scrambled to avert the danger the ball was played inside to West Auckland Reid whose fierce drive was tipped onto the bar by Simpson before crashing down onto the line before Winterton cleared their lines.

Andy Holt had the Rangers faithful on their feet when he was sent racing goal wards on 22mins. As he raced to the edge of the box he fired across the face but just the wrong side of the far post. West Auckland were being restricted to shots from range that Ben Simpson looked in confident mood to deal with.

Winterton's more direct attacking style nearly produced another when Mark Whitehouse’s incisive run took him inside the full back only to be brought down a foot outside the West Auckland box by Middlehurst, Clarke's free kick hit the wall before being cleared.

The half closed with West Auckland again looking to work an equaliser, a fierce 40 yard drive took a deflection for a corner on 42mins. And then on the stroke of half-time a quick corner caught Rangers napping , the ball to the far post saw Middlehurst fire across the face when he should have done better. 

HALF TIME 1-0

The Second started brightly, Danny Clarke curling a shot just wide of the far post from the right on 47mins.

Then a couple of minutes of madness. Rangers Billy Green and West Auckland's Dale Jardine clashed after a free kick was awarded against Green. The referee pulled both players aside and showed both yellow cards and gave a free kick to West Auckland. The ball forward saw Green slide in well to break down the West Auckland attack only for Jardine to follow in with a late challenge that saw him knee Green in the head. The referee then added a second yellow and Jardine went to test the showers. 58mins.

Ten men West Auckland then dominated the next ten minutes, Ellison forced a good save from Simpson on 63mins. And on 72mins Moffatt ran at the Rangers defence seeing the defenders slip and fall away as he entered the box only for him to lose possession when the Winterton goal looked at his mercy.

Winterton then started to get a grip, Whitehouse raced to the by-line before pulling the ball back to Ricardo whose cross whipped across the face of all entering the box on 73mins.

Then n 78mins Andy Catton burst into life with a spark of genius. Holt had fed the ball back to Catton who played a one-two with himself to round the centre back before facing into the box and slotting home Winterton’s second. 2-0

It was pretty much game over, West Auckland still pushed on but it was Rangers who killed the game off when a great ball in from the right saw Andy Holt flash his header into the far corner for his sixth of the season and Rangers third of the game 3-0.

FINAL SCORE 3-0

This was a good scalp for Winterton, West Auckland were a good side but Rangers were resolute in defence, worked hard as a team and had the cutting edge to produce a superb result against a side from a higher division. Winterton will now entertain Kendal in the next round.