A LATE goal from Dylan Mabunu saw Hexham progress in the Team Valley Carpets Combination Cup.

The green and whites won 2-1 away to Blyth Town Reserves in a tie between two sides which have made impressive starts to the Northern Alliance Division One campaign.

Hexham, fresh from their 2-0 win over Forest Hall in the George Dobbins League Cup the previous week, started the game confidently.

On 15 minutes, Robbie Pattison passed to Peter McRoberts, who cut inside from the right and supplied a through ball for Callum Duncan, who fired a low shot to the goalkeeper’s left from 14 yards, to give Hexham the lead.

The first half saw chances for both teams, and Blyth equalised on 27 minutes. A deep cross looked to be floating out of play, but it was headed back across goal to set up a firm drive from eight yards to make it 1-1.

Hexham keeper Thomas Craney made several crucial saves, but had no chance with the equaliser.

In the second half, Craney was called into action after 51 minutes, showing great reflexes to deny a quickly-struck first time effort.

On 79 minutes, Tom Hacking played Mabunu through on goal, and the pacey forward timed his run to beat the offside trap, and chipped the advancing keeper. His audacious effort hit the top of the crossbar and went over for a goal kick.

But shortly afterwards, Lewis Furness and Duncan linked up to find Mabunu just inside the box, and he found the net with a shot to the right of the keeper.

Manager Martin Lowes was delighted with the performance.

“We were over the moon on Saturday,” he said: “It was a good game of football between two sides who went for it. We had a plan and stuck to it, and our players worked hard throughout.”

Hexham took 18 players to Blyth for the game, and Lowes praised the spirit in the camp.

He added: “Everybody wants to play. We even took youngsters who knew they wouldn’t get a game on the day, but enthusiastically took part in the warm up. The attitude of our players is excellent.”

Hexham are at home to Gosforth Bohemians in the league on Saturday. It will be played at Wark Sports Club due to maintenance on the Wentworth pitch at Hexham.