Windscale lost out in the quarter final of the Alan Hood Charity Cup when they went down 2-0 at Leam Rangers.
Windscale can take positives out of a performance that had the Gateshead side on the back foot for large chunks of the game.
The home side are currently in third place in the League with games in hand on the top two, all of whom are hoping to secure promotion to the Northern League, so it was a creditable performance all round from the Atoms.
The home team made the running in the first few minutes of the game with Steve Walker and Matt Metcalf easily seeing off attacks from Rangers.
Reece Fretwell was heavily involved in the Windscale responses setting up an opportunity for Ben Graham which was denied him by the toe end of a defender. Then Fretwell himself skipped beyond three defenders only to be denied by a last ditch tackle.
Lewis Jolly was the next to be denied a goal when his shot was deflected for a corner and following this, a shot from the same player was saved by the keeper at his near post.
Windscale were laying siege to the Leam Rangers goal with a series of five corners but were unable to convert any and emphasise their dominance.
Rangers gifted Leo Brennan possession well inside their half, however, the Windscale player dragged his shot wide of the goal.
The Windscale goal was threatened in the 30th minute when the home side hit the bar from a corner kick. It was the home team who were happy for the intervention of the woodwork when Windscale struck the post twice and frustratingly the ball did not end up in the net.
The game drifted towards half-time with neither team able to breech the oppositions rear-guard, but Windscale’s efforts probably more deserving of a goal.
The start of the second period saw Rangers dominate the early stages of play and only some resolute defending by the visitors kept them at bay.
The breakthrough came in the 54th minute when the ball was slotted beyond Ian Studholme, the Windscale custodian to give the edge in the tie to the Gateshead side.
From the kick-off Windscale earned another corner but yet again their efforts were thwarted by some solid Gateshead defending.
The decisive moment in the game came in the 62nd minute when the home team added a second goal. Following this they were content to get behind the ball to see the game to its conclusion.
Windscale continued in their efforts to reduce the arrears with Ben Graham going close. Despite a couple of substitutions to invigorate their attack, the Cumbrians were unable to impact the game further.
