After a subdued start, Town turned up the heat after the break and carved out several good chances to get back into the tie, finishing the stronger side.

With leading scorer Alistair Banks injured, Harry Croft returned to spearhead the attack with dual-registration winger Matty Kirikiro also starting. Jonny Haase returned at left-back after missing Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Carlisle City.

Thornaby started with no less than five former Northallerton players – Alfie Conway, Kieron Parnaby, Luke Drummond, Sonni Coleman and James Sayer. And it was midfielder Conway who scored the decisive goal after 18 minutes.

He was left free on the edge of the area to fire past home ‘keeper Matty Calvert in what manager Deano Browne termed “a loss of concentration”.

Town huffed and puffed but produced little to worry the Thornaby defence in the first period. It was a different story after the break, however, with the home side much more focused and energised.

Joe Kitching made an intelligent run into the box after 54 minutes to latch on to a square ball from Kirokiro, but unfortunately he miscued his shot over the bar. Then Kirokiro fired agonisingly wide after substitute Tafari Nicholas found him with a quick free-kick.

Thornaby went close themselves when full-back Koby Erratt-Thompson drilled a free-kick narrowly wide of a post, but the hosts continued to dominate in the closing stages without being able to make their pressure tell.

Manager Browne introduced new signing from Blyth Town, defender Harvey Rudd, from the bench and there was a short second Northallerton debut for fellow substitute and centre-back Dale Elgie.

The tie had been switched to the Calvert Stadium because of floodlight issues at Thornaby’s Teesdale Park ground.

Northallerton Town: Calvert, Cullen (Rudd 84), Haase, Sartini, Allen, Dale (Nicholas 64), Kirokiro (Elgie 82), Hume, Croft, J Kitching, Harker (Martin 78).

Thornaby: Yaqub, Erratt-Thompson, Conway, Ryder, Drummond, Lavery, Parnaby, Booth, Cann, Coleman, Sayer.

Subs: Hindson, Kennedy, Bell, Davidson, Forster.

Att: 125.