Penrith 0 North Shields 3: Robins secure first away win of the season with dominant display

The Robins secured their first away win of the season as goals from Cam Cunningham, Scott McCarthy and Kyle Patton saw the Robins to a comfortable 3-0 win over struggling Penrith.

Cunningham’s goal on the stroke of half time gave the Robins a deserved lead at the break.

Substitutes McCarthy and Patton heaped more misery on the Bonny Blues with well-taken strikes midway through the second period.

And with Penrith rarely threatening to score, the Robins comfortably held on for all three points.

The Robins were dealt a blow early on when Gareth Bainbridge, who had recently equalled Don Winskill’s scoring record, was forced off with a knee injury; with McCarthy coming on in his place.

This stunted the visitors early momentum as both sides struggled to break into the final third.

In the 15th minute, Ryan Carr had the first real chance of note when his shot on goal, following a good move from Cunningham, was well saved by the keeper.

Three minutes later, Penrith came close to threatening a goal when striker Martyn Coleman’s cross-goal shot only needed the slightest touch to go in.

After a corner in the 27th minute, defender Rhys Williams, who was recalled to the team, almost caught Penrith keeper Dan Staples off guard with a close range shot; one which the keeper was able to deflect away.

Shields kept applying the pressure and Adam Forster almost made the breakthrough in the 31st minute, only for his shot, following a flowing move, to be saved by Staples.

With the game looking like it was going to be scoreless at the break, Shields finay managed to make the break through in the 45th minute.

Following a brilliant McCarthy run through the Penrith defence, Cunningham collected the ball just inside the area before prodding it into the bottom corner of the net.

The Bonny Blues began the second half brightly and in the 48th minute, Coleman was denied by a good save from Greg Purvis.

Penrith were made to rue that miss as in the 51st minute, a low cross from Cunningham was fired home from close range by McCarthy; his first goal for North Shields.

After both benches made a number of substitutions, it was the Robins who maintained their second half dominance.

As the game entered the final 20 minutes, only a spectacular save from Staples denied Carr from putting the game to bed.

McCarthy was keen to add to his total and two minutes later, he almost finished off another flowing Shields move, only for Staples to make another top save.

The visitors were finally rewarded for their second half performance when, in the 80th minute, Patton thundered his shot from just inside the penalty area past Staples, after a fantastic pass from Cunningham.

Three minutes later and it could have been four when Carr’s towering header was greatfully collected by the under pressure Penrith shot stopper.

However, with Penrith providing no real threat on the Shields goal, the Robins celebrated an impressive away win.