A record home crowd of 1,235 were present as the Robins secured a league double against local rivals Whitley Bay on Saturday.
Ross opened the scoring before a long-range Lashley stunner sent the home fans into pandemonium in the first half, but it looked worrying in the second when Ross was sent off after Mikel Thompson grabbed one back for The Seahorses.
Shields were impressive from the first whistle once again, Mason almost opened the scoring in the opening minutes before curling a ball off the post not long afterwards. Ben Sampson also headed wide after a free-kick by Lashley was whipped into the box towards him.
With the match still in its infancy it looked as though Brian Smith’s men would inevitebly open the scoring, which they did in the 22nd minute through Callum Ross. The midfielder recieved the ball from Lashley on the left side of the box, before cutting inside to a similar position to where the post had been struck earlier, and burying the ball into the bottom right corner.
Bay’s Alfie Livermore was then booked for simulation as he looked to earn his side a penalty, before Lee Mason, still looking to get on the scoresheet, blazed the ball over the bar from just three yards out before collpasing to the floor in frustration.
Shields wouldn’t have to wait much longer for a second though, and it would be quite a magnificent one at that. Sampson won posession back on the halfway line and rolled the ball to the feet of Hall as Lashley ran into space ahead of him. Once the winger recieved the ball, he smashed a left-footed strike from 30 yards out, hitting the underside of the crossbar on its way in.
HALF-TIME: North Shields 2-0 Whitley Bay
The Robins almost continued their rampage ten minutes into the second half when Dan Cherry’s header bounced from the floor and onto the crossbar from a corner before being cleared away, but Whitley Bay began to tip-toe their way into the game at this stage. Firing a couple efforts at goal that missed the target by mere margins.
The Seahorses eventually struck gold as Jake Forster cleverly flicked the ball past Reece Wanless on the edge of the box and found Mikel Thompson on the D. His shot was deflected off Ben Sampson but nestled into the net anyway, suddenly, it was game on again.
Worry compiled onto the home side soon after, when goalscorer Callum Ross recieved a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on midfielder Callum Larmouth.
Bay failed to capitalise on the man advantage however, and it was Shields who had the best chance to score post-red card. Ogbewe launched a thunderous run down the pitch before sending a cut-back towards Lashley, whose shot was blocked by Michael Scott before being knocked back to the substitute in space, but he chose to pass again to Mason, who hammered the shot over the bar.
El Coastico returns on Wednesday night with the two sides meeting once again at Hillheads Park in the Northumberland FA Newcastle Flooring Senior Cup Quarter-Final.
FULL-TIME: North Shields 2-1 Whitley Bay
Shields XI: Elliott, Suddick, Wanless, Ross, Cherry, Harmison, Sampson, Forster (C) (Holmes, 56′), Hall (Ogbewe, 68′), Mason (Carr, 68′), Lashley (Paterson, 87′)
