North Shields were back to winning ways against Kendal Town on Saturday
It was a mostly comfortable game for the Robins with two goals by Jordan Lashley securing the win.
The visitors did attempt to rally in the second half, hitting the post and forcing Shields to clear the ball off the line, but the home side ultimately rode out the pressure.
The game couldn’t have started better for the home side, as Town goalkeeper Chris Cheetham bundled into Lashley in the box, conceding a penalty and picking up a booking. Lashley stepped up to the spot and confidently dispatched the penalty into the bottom left corner.
Kendal thought they had equalised in the 25th minute through Dj Taylor. A misplaced Robins back pass fell straight to Zach Walker, who slipped a through ball to Taylor behind the defence, but the linesman ruled him offside.
The Robins instantly responded to this scare by bagging a goal themselves, Lashley latched himself onto a ball over the top of the defence, before cutting inside onto his left foot and drilling the ball into the bottom right corner.
The forward almost secured a hat-trick before the half-hour mark, once again running onto a bouncing ball over the top, this time trying to chip the ball over Cheetham, missing the target by mere inches
HALF-TIME: North Shields 2-0 Kendal Town
Lashley remained the main threat early in the second half. Six minutes after the restart he burst towards goal with only the goalkeeper to beat, before defender Bailey Kenny somehow denied him with a miraculous sliding challenge.
The Mintcakes began to grow into the game as the half progressed, enjoying a lengthy period of possession high up the field.
Shields had to hold firm at the back to deal with Kendal’s frequent attacks down the wing. Elliott came out confidently to collect the ball on a few occasions and had to make a save after Kenny headed goalwards from a corner.
Ten minutes later and chaos ensued after Kenny’s goal bound header was scrambled off the line before James Bailey’s follow up effort was struck against the outside of the post.
Before the end of the game there was time for Shields to have one more major attempt at goal, after substitute Jamie Holmes whipped in a wicked cross to the head of Lashley from close range, but his header flashed narrowly past the post.
FULL-TIME: North Shields 2-0 Kendal Town
Shields XI: Elliott, Doyle, Wanless, Forster, Cherry, Harmison, Lush (D. Holmes, 90+1’), Sampson, Hall (J. Holmes, 84’), Carr (Mason, 80’), Lashley (Patterson, 85’)
