North Shields extended their unbeaten streak to three matches after a 0-0 draw at home to Newcastle Blue Star.
It was a largely uneventful fixture except for Callum Elliott’s heroic penalty save in the 65th minute to keep the score level.
Throughout the game, both sides had only a small number of clear-cut chances. In the first half, Ben Harmison got in front of his man from a corner, but his header was blazed over the bar.
Before the end of the half, The Star had some opportunities to score of their own, substitute Leon Burke struck a shot over the bar from close range, before Jakub Zych did the same just moments from the break.
HALF-TIME: North Shields 0-0 Newcastle Blue Star
The second half was certainly more eventful than the first, Elliott was forced into a double save from close range early on, before Dan Lanning struck over the bar from the edge of the box for the away side.
A triple substitution then saw Forster, Ross and Blair replace Anderson, Ogbewe, and Holmes.
Controversy followed in the 66th minute when Blue Star were awarded a penalty. Harmison was tackled from behind inside the box and instinctively grabbed the ball to take what he believed would be a free kick, but with no whistle blown the referee instead pointed to the spot. Harmison was then booked and sin binned for his complaints.
Zych stepped up for the visitors and hit the ball low and hard to the keeper’s left, but Elliott read it perfectly, getting down quickly to save and keep us in the game.
Two final substitutions for the Robins were then made, as Hall and Paterson replaced Mason and Lashley.
In the final ten minutes, Shields put the visitors under sustained pressure in search of a late winner. Sampson nearly repeated his stunning direct corner goal against Benfield, this time rattling the crossbar.
The Robins continued to push until the final whistle, and a late free kick into the box eventually fell to Slater, who found a sliver of space, but his close-range effort was well saved.
FULL-TIME: North Shields 0-0 Newcastle Blue Star
