Hot-shot banned for big cup clash

Finnigan, pictured, was sent off for violent conduct deep into stoppage time in the EVO-STIK League North opener after scoring the winner in last Saturday's 2-1 victory at Shawe View.

In a statement on their website on Friday, the disappointed 2017 FA Vase winners confirmed that the 30-year-old forward would miss the club's next three games after the Football Association rejected their appeal which officials felt was backed by strong video evidence.

As well as the 12.30pm kick-off against Bridlington at Mariners Park which is being broadcast live on the digital channels of BBC Sport and the BBC iPlayer, the Jarrow-born former Newcastle United, Falkirk, St Johnstone, Dundee and Gateshead forward will be absent from the club's home game against Bamber Bridge on Saturday 26 August and trip to Scarborough Athletic on Monday 28 August.

South Shields are getting ready to fly the flag for the EVO-STIK League in the Emirates FA Cup after being chosen to showcase the BBC's new extended coverage of every round only hours before a bumper crowd of 1,776 saw last season's quadruple-winning Northern League champions hammer Brighouse Town 5-0 on Tuesday night.

The EVO-STIK League North newboys and their Northern Counties East League opponents are the second pair of Non-League clubs to be under the spotlight since the BBC announced its live coverage would be starting six rounds earlier at the very start of the competition in the extra-preliminary round instead of the first round proper, Litherland REMYCA beating AFC Liverpool 2-0 in the first history-making match two weeks ago.

Warrington Town famously beat Exeter City in the first live match on the BBC in years in 2014 when live FA Cup football returned to the corporation from the first round proper.

Images courtesy of @SouthShieldsFC/Twitter

Follow us: @evostikleague on Twitter | Facebook www.facebook.com/evostikleague