North Shields prevailed against Newcastle Blue Star last night, coming out of the tie 2-0 winners.
Reece Wanless scored a third goal in two matches, and an own goal from Blue Star made it too tough a task for Paul Brayson‘s team to make a comeback.
This made it four wins in four for Brian Smith‘s side, and that took Shields up to fourth in the Northern League Division One table.
Team News:
North Shields: Elliot, Suddick, Wanless, Sampson, Bexton, Anderson, Lashley, Forster (C), Wilson, Holmes, Ogbewe.
Newcastle Blue Star: W. Anderson, Eggleston, Burke, D. Anderson, Scott (C), Armstrong, Zych, Orrell, Ogidan, McClen, Follin.
Story of the Match:
The Robins started the game well, and had the first chance too.
In the 10th minute, Jordan Lashley cut in from the right hand side, and curled an effort headed for the bottom left corner from outside the area.
However, Blue Star goalkeeper Will Anderson got down brilliantly and forced it wide for an early corner.
Both sides had some half-chances in the next 10 minutes of the match, as Newcastle Blue Star started to grow into the game.
However, it was the Robins who found the breakthrough.
In the 21st minute, Jordan Lashley again cut in from that right hand side, but instead of shooting, he opted to play in Dan Wilson.
His shot was saved by Anderson, but it fell to Wanless just behind the six-yard line. He showed composure and slotted it under the flailing Blue Star keeper for 1-0.
This was a huge turning point in the match, as North Shields pushed on for a second.
They came close in the 33rd minute, when Nelson Ogbewe chased down the ball and put immense pressure on Joe Eggleston.
Eventually he got his reward and won the ball back, mounting a quick Robins attack that saw Wilson play in Lashley, but Anderson once again made a good save down to his right hand side.
Shields would eventually get their second in the 37th minute.
A cleared corner found its way to Ben Sampson just in front of the centre circle.
Sampson immediately fizzed the ball out wide to Lewis Suddick, who was bursting down the right wing unmarked.
His first time cross was a beauty, whipped into the back post, and off the head of Joe Eggleston. He turned the ball into his own net, and a good finish at that.
Euan Anderson nearly added a third before half time, as his 41st minute header was unlucky not to hit the target.
The atmosphere of the match was interrupted just before half time, when youths outside the ground started shooting fireworks into the stadium.
Kudos to the referee for playing on, but a bit more caution should have been taken to protect the players and the supporters.
The teams came out for the second half, and Blue Star worked their way back into the tie.
Number nine Usman Ogidan may have took the renewed focus too far. In the 50th minute, Ogidan went over the top of the ball and caught Dean Holmes in the knee.
He was lucky to walk away from the challenge with only a yellow card; the first of the match.
Blue Star kept pushing, but the Robins‘ defence would not budge. In particular, Anderson, on his 100th appearance for Shields was an absolute rock at the back.
He made multiple blocks to deny Jakub Zych & co from finding their first, and a way back into the game.
Then, North Shields won a penalty.
Ogbewe was hacked down in the 66th minute by a Blue Star defender, and although the goalkeeper had some choice words for the Robins winger, it was a stonewall affair.
Wilson stepped up to take it, but put his penalty far wide to the left hand side, and Blue Star were provided a second wind.
Blue Star went up the other end and Liam Follin rattled the crossbar from outside the box. Newcastle Blue Star were full of confidence and kept pushing for a way in.
It took till the 78th minute for Newcastle Blue Star to threaten the North Shields goal. Danny Armstrong got a shot off at close range after a scramble in the box, but Callum Elliot managed to get down low and keep the ball out.
The Robins nearly made it three before the end of the match, when Stephen Hall ran on to a long ball in the dying minutes. He played the ball out wide, and received a cross into the box for his efforts.
But he was denied from point blank range, and the game ended with North Shields winning by an ultimately deserved 2-0 score line.
