Match Report
Wednesday 30th October
EBAC Northern League Division One
Crook Town 2 – 1 North Shields
‘Robins left frustrated’
Still on a high from progressing at the weekend in the FA Vase, the Robins entered their first of two games in a 72 hour period as they visited Crook Town.
Changes from the weekend saw Ben Harmison replace Euan Anderson in defence and Dan Waldon and Lewis Suddick returning to the starting eleven.
It was the Robins who started the brighter of the two sides, as Brian Smith’s side looked to play on the front foot from the outset.
A late challenge on Will McCamley presented the Robins with an early chance, the freekick cleaning the keeper only to fall the wrong side of the post.
The positive start continued for the Robins, a great chance to open the scoring only for Darren Lough to see his effort cleared off the line.
GOAL CROOK TOWN 1-0 North Shields – Ben Trotter ‘12
A suckerpunch to the Robins, the hosts having hardly been given a sniff of possession in the opening exchanges, found themselves in the lead, the ball swung into the penalty area, deflected into the path of Ben Trotter who was able to react enough to poke the ball home.
Both Jamie Holmes and Lewis Suddick saw efforts blocked before the hosts were able to clear their lines.
Ben Harmison was on hand to acrobatically clear the ball to deny the hosts a chance to add a second.
Penalty shouts for the Robins were waved away by the match official after claims for handball inside the penalty area.
A huge chance for the Robins to draw level fell to Lewis Suddick, the move starting with a precise cross field pass picking out Will McCamley who beat the offside trap, collecting the ball and delivering an inch perfect cross into the middle were Suddick arrived, meeting the cross with powerful header which looked destined for the back of the net, Ben Fairless between the sticks for Crook, scrambled well to get back across goal and somehow keep the effort out.
On the stroke of half time, the hosts were awarded a free kick around 20 yards out, the effort driven low and hard was no match for Kyle Hayes who was able to push the effort wide for a corner.
The hosts with the lead at the break, the Robins frustrated to be behind, the better team but behind at the break to Ben Trotters goal.
The second half started in a competitive manner as the hosts looked to extend their lead and the Robins looked to draw level.
Danny Anderson replaced Kyle Downey in midfield.
Two more chances in as many minutes for the Robins saw them almost draw level, firstly Lewis Suddick fired an effort goal bound from inside the area, only to see his effort tipped over the top for a corner, moments later, the corner cleared only as far Nick Cassidy who hit a thunderbolt of an effort towards goal, almost catching out Ben Fairless.
A big let off for the Robins as they continued to push for an equaliser, the hosts hit on the counter, Corey Nicholson laying off the ball to Sonni Coleman who fired his effort over the top.
Another change for the Robins saw Jordan Lashley replace Lewis Suddick with 20 minutes left on the clock.
Great work from McCamley was able to carve out a goal scoring opportunity for the Robins, crossing the ball across the face of the Crook goal, but nobody in red at the back post to get on the end of it.
The Robins defence stood strong to ensure that the hosts did not extend their lead in a goalmouth scramble.
Entering into the final 10 minutes, the Robins thought they had their equaliser, the hosts unable to clear lines with any conviction, the ball fired goal bound only to be cleared off the line, claims from Shields players inside the penalty area that the ball had crossed the line, looks towards the assistant, the effort not judged to have crossed the line.
A third change for the Robins saw Dean Holmes take to the field in place of Dan Waldon.
GOAL CROOK TOWN 2-0 North Shields – Craig Moody ‘88
Hitting on the break, the ball played through to Moody, who had time to compose himself, pick his spot and slot the ball home beyond Hayes to double the lead and all but confirm the victory for the hosts.
A last change of the evening for the Robins, saw Lee Mason replace Adam Forster.
GOAL Crook Town 2-1 NORTH SHIELDS – Jamie Holmes ‘90+4
With time running out, the Robins were given a lifeline to potentially snatch something from the game, the ball worked to Holmes hit a rasping drive outside the penalty area, Fairless at full stretch, able to get fingertips to the effort, but there was just too much power on the effort as it sailed into the top corner.
A frustrating night for the Robins, the better team over the course of the 90 minutes but ultimately fell short to the hosts taking their chances and making them count.
Next up for the Robins, Carlisle City are the visitors to the Daren Persson Stadium on Friday night.
North Shields: Hayes, Cassidy, Lough, Downey, Coppen, Harmison, McCamley, Forster ©, Waldon, J Holmes, Suddick.
Subs: D Holmes, Mason, D Anderson, Marrs, Lashley.
Goal Scorers:
Crook Town: Trotter ’12, Moody ’88
North Shields: J Homes ‘90+4
Attendance: 230
Next Up: Carlisle City (H) – Wednesday 1st November – 7.45pm
