St Helens Town 4 Newcastle Benfield Saints 3

SKY Sports cameras followed the Geordies throughout the week and up to their debut in the FA Cup on Saturday, where they met a Town side who had gone to the top of the NWCL following a midweek triumph at Colne.

Joe Paladino's troops were in buoyant mood as they went into Saturday's tie and the confidence gained from a fine start to the season ensued as they ran riot in a totally one-sided first half and by the 34th minute were 4-0 up.

But Benfield showed great spirit, and, courtesy of some eccentric St Helens defending, clawed their way slowly back and by the end had home followers begging for the final whistle.

That eccentric defending consisted of conceding three penalty kicks and it threw the visitors a lifeline, which against all odds almost produced a replay as a late rally, had Town defending nervously.

It all added up to a thrilling cup tie, which Town began in supreme style and once Joe Gibiliru's back header had looped over the keeper in the 16th minute, they looked well in command.

This was further underlined when following a break from a skirmish in the St Helens box, Jordan Milson drilled a screamer off the underside of the crossbar from 20 yards.

A minute later Milson gave away a needless penalty when punching away Fuller's hoisted free kick, but Benfield's lifeline looked to have gone when Paul Dahl made a great one-handed save from Woodhouse's spot kick.

On 27 minutes Town's Joe Gibiliru rubbed salt in the visitors' wounds when being alert to a defensive mix-up and racing clear to rifle goal number three past the exposed Grainger in the Benfield goal.

At this point a total rout looked on the cards and this scenario was further emphasised in the 34th minute when superb skill by John McAllister left two defenders and the keeper in his wake as he slotted home Town's fourth goal.

The half closed with Benfield's second spot kick of the afternoon when Milson bundled into Young who took over the penalty role and gave Dahl no chance to send his side in at the break, trailing 4-1.

The second half was as one-sided as the first but this time the Geordies were in the ascendancy and when Young glanced home a header on the hour Town's lead didn't seem so commanding.

This was certainly the case in the 69th minute when Flood caught Young's ankles in the box and the Benfield striker rose to complete his hat-trick from the spot.

Town's lead was now down to a single goal as Benfield skipper Bangura bossed the game in midfield and with Batson hurling huge throw-ins into the St Helens box, desperate defending was needed.

The Sky road show now takes on Town as its FA cup focus at Knowsley Road this Saturday as they meet West Auckland Town in the next round.

Provided there is a positive result on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) Town travel to Atherton LR on Tuesday September 7 (kick-off 7.45pm) for a league game.