North Shields took part in yet another thrilling fixture at the Darren Persson stadium on Saturday, this time coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the 68th minute to run out as 4-2 winners
Ben Henderson and Jack Pounder put the visitors ahead, only for the Robins to launch an electrifying comeback in the final 20 minutes.
The Robins fell behind within ten minutes when Ben Henderson broke free in the box and caught Elliott out at his near-post. The winger would try twice more for his second from an identical position later in the half, resulting firstly in Elliott making a strong save before blasting the rebound over the crossbar.
In attack for the Robins, it was shaping up to be one of those days where the ball just wouldn’t find its way in. Sampson almost opened his account for the day before Mason, Lish, and Wilson combined to try and finish off a strong move, but frantic blocks from the defence and an eventual missed chance by the latter meant Brian Smith’s men, rather frustratingly, remained a goal down at half-time.
HALF-TIME: North Shields 0-1 Horden C.W.
Nelson Ogbewe was sent on at half-time to provide some much needed energy to Shields’ attack, but the Robins continued to struggle at the back. Pounder wasted an opportunity to make it 2-0 as he fired over when one-on-one with Elliott, but the number nine made up for that when his goalbound header was inadvertently deflected into the net by a Shields defender.
The Robins improved after this, with Lashley finding Sampson at the edge of the box whose first-time finish nestled into the bottom-right corner. The belief instantly electrified Shields’ attack, and it was Ogbewe’s unerring strike into the top right that drew the scores level, a mere seven minutes after falling two goals behind.
The comeback was complete when an inspired Sampson bagged his brace with ten minutes to go, Lashley was involved yet again, sending an accurate cross to the chest of Wilson, who knocked it down for the midfielder to thump past Robert Dean in net.
Smelling blood in the water, Lashley was on the hunt for more as he ran half the length of the pitch into the opposing box where he was hacked down from behind for a penalty. Dan Wilson was clinical from the spot, tucking it into the bottom right for his fourth goal in as many matches.
FULL-TIME: North Shields 4-2 Horden C.W.
SHIELDS XI: Callum Elliott, Blair Adams, Reece Wanless (Ogbewe, 46′), Adam Forster (C), Stephen Hall, Euan Anderson, Jordan Lashley, Ben Sampson, Daniel Wilson (Shannon, 88′), Lee Mason (Holmes, 62′), Jake Lish (Turnbull, 65′)
