FINDING the opening goal in extra time, Ponteland United Reserves thought they‘d done enough to make it through to the semi-finals of the Tyneside Amateur Challenge Cup.

However, they pressed the self destruct button and conceded three sloppy goals to end up losing 5-3 to North Shields Athletic Reserves.

The madcap 30 minutes finished off a topsy-turvy match-up which saw United bravely battle back from two goals down to take the tie to extra time.

Shields drew first blood after just two minutes through Daniel Haggerston, and were two goals to the good on 25 minutes when Leeroy Odd netted from the penalty spot.

Ponteland came roaring back and started to dominate, their efforts rewarded on 38 minutes when Daniel Potter reduced arrears with a fantastic free kick.

United continued to create chances but were unable to find that elusive equaliser, until Daniel Brown popped up to take it to an extra half hour by netting with a minute to go.

Shields, who had Ryan Miven sent off on 78 minutes, looked dead and buried when John McAdam put Pont ahead for the first time in the first period of extra time.

Yet their jubilation soon turned sour as a lack of concentration allowed Odd to net two quick goals to complete his hat-trick, before the same man hammered the final nail in the coffin with his fourth in the last minute.