North Shields 3 – 1 Birtley Town
After two weeks without a game, football finally returned to the Daren Persson Stadium when league leaders Birtley Town were the visitors.
With both teams winning by sizable margins in their previous games, a good game was in store for the 218 in attendance.
It was the Robins that made the brighter start to the game, looking to move the ball and start on the front foot.
Ten minutes played before the first half chance of the game was created, when Dan Turner was picked out down the right hand side, before cutting inside and hitting an effort wide of the target.
The visitor’s responded with a speculative effort from distance, rising above Finlay Hodgson’s crossbar.
On the quarter of an hour mark, Shields had a massive penalty claim squashed by the match official, Luke Salmon looking to connect with a deep freekick from Connor Oliver at the back post, appearing to be dragged down by the defender.
The visitors had another chance, a free header inside the 18 yard box, no danger for Hodgson as the ball harmlessly left play for a goal kick.
GOAL 26’ NORTH SHIELDS – REGAN PATERSON, 1-0
The breakthrough finally came halfway through the first half, and deservedly so on the flow of play up to that point, Forster with a deep cross brought down well by Turner inside the area, the ball finding its way to Paterson who fired home.
Almost immediately from the restart, Brad Hird almost doubled the advantage, Connor Oliver winning back possession and playing Hird, only to see his effort on goal denied by Alfie Gordon.
On the half hour mark, Tom Potter was given the opportunity from a freekick, just outside the box, his left footed effort looked to be nestling into the top corner only to be denied by Alfie Gordon at full stretch to grasp hold of the ball in mid-air.
GOAL 35’ NORTH SHIELDS – DAVID PALMER, 2-0
The pressure building and the visitor’s struggling to deal with the barrage of attacks from the Robins, Regan Paterson winning possession back deep in the Birtley Town half, working the ball to David Palmer who cut onto his right, composing himself and firing home to double the lead.
Two goals down and with less than 10 minutes left till half time, the visitors came onto the front foot looking to get back into the game. Glen Hargrave was presented with a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit. Possession given away cheaply, the forward found himself through on goal, with only Hodgson to beat, he curled effort the wrong side of the post to the relief of the Robins.
GOAL 43’ BIRTLEY TOWN – ALEX FRANCIS, 2-1
The Birtley captain firing home at the second attempt, the corner routine finding Francis in the middle, who saw his first effort, denied well by a strong hand of Hodgson but nothing could be done about the follow up.
Half time upon us, the Robins with a deserved lead over the course of the 45 minutes, could have had at least one more had it not been for Alfie Gordon between the sticks, the visitors showing some fight towards the end of the half, doing enough to just about keep them in the game.
David Palmer should have extended the lead with minutes of the restart, picked out by Paterson unmarked in the middle, Palmer glancing his header towards the far post, only to see his effort go agonizingly wide of the target.
Alfie Gordon once again kept the visitors in the contest, Connor Oliver playing the ball through to Brad Hird, only to see the out rushing Gordon block his effort.
Alfie Gordon on hand again, this time with a double save, firstly denying Dan Turner before tipping over an effort from David Palmer.
The visitors breaking on the counter, caught the Robins defense off guard, but were unable to capitalize despite getting themselves into an ideal position, only to fire over the top.
With a quarter of an hour left, changes made saw the introduction of Rio Joisce, Joe Thompson and Tom McIntyre as the Robins looked to seal the victory.
Fighting to get back into the game, things took a bad turn for the visitor’s when they were reduced to 10 men with the dismissal of Owen Lancaster. Dan Turner beating the offside trap looking to latch onto the ball over the top, Lancaster bearing down on him, legs tangled resulted in Turner being upended and the defender given his marching orders.
Connor Oliver rattled the woodwork with the resulting freekick.
GOAL 83’ NORTH SHIELDS – TOM POTTER, 3-1
The goal the Robins had been looking for to seal the victory and secure the important three points. Alfie Gordon rolled the ball out to a team-mate who got the ball stuck under his feet, Tom Potter on hand to take advantage of the situation and steal back possession, drive towards goal before cheekily chipping the ball over Gordon.
A fully deserved result for the Robins picking up all 3 points as the match officials brought the afternoon’s proceedings to a conclusion. Had it not been for good goalkeeping and better finishing the margin of the result could have easily been more.
The Robins change their focus to the FA Vase, when we welcome West Auckland Town to the Daren Persson on Saturday 23rd September.
North Shields: Hodgson, Forster, Salmon, Oliver, Myers, Bexton, Turner, Potter, Hird, Palmer, Paterson.
Goal Scorers: Regan Paterson (‘26), David Palmer (‘35), Tom Potter (‘88)
Attendance: 218
Advanced Garage Doors MOTM: Connor Oliver
Next Up: West Auckland Town – FA Vase – Saturday 23rd September – 3pm
