Seaham Red Star 1 North Shields 2: First half Patton double keeps Robins rolling

A first half double from Kyle Patton helped North Shields to a closely-contested 2-1 win against Seaham Red Star.

Patton gave Shields an early advantage after six minutes; converting a Cam Cunningham cross from close range.

The in-form attacker doubled the lead not long after, when he reacted quickest to a deflected Nick Cassidy freekick.

Former Robin Dan Wilson pulled a goal back for Seaham at the start of the second half, with a lobbed finish under pressure.

But Shields were able to hold on for an important three points at the Ferguson Motor Repairs Stadium.

The Robins started on the front foot and after only six minutes, Cunningham collected a Cassidy cross before centering the ball to Patton; leaving the attacker to beat the keeper with a close-range shot.

It took a while for the Star to settle into the game but in the 16th minute, Paul Gardiner’s ferocious drive took a wicked deflection to steer the ball behind for a corner.

Starting up front for the Robins today, Callum Smith almost created a golden opportunity to double the lead in the 21st minute, only for his cross to be smothered at the feet of Patton by Chris Bannon.

Chances were few and far between but approaching the 31st minute, a deep cross from Jaden Cahill-Taylor got caught in the wind, almost catching Greg Purvis out at the far post before sailing behind for a goal kick.

But only one minute later, the visitors had a deserved second goal, after Patton reacted quickest to a deflected Cassidy freekick; leaving the former Bishop Auckland attacker with a simple finish.

Seaham reacted well to the latest setback, with Wilson muscling his way to the byline before his cross-goal pass was blazed over by Richard Coulson from inside the six-yard box.

The Robins were finishing the half strongly and could have had a third goal in the 36th minute, only for Cassidy’s dangerous freekick to drift narrowly over the crossbar.

With half time fast approaching, the hosts were trying to get one foot back into the game, with David Robinson’s low drive comfortably saved by Purvis.

The start of the second half saw more pressure on the Seaham goal, with good play from Cassidy and Gary Ormston releasing Patton on goal, only for Patton’s shot to take a deflection before going behind.

In the 56th minute, after Paul New denied Seaham with a tremendous last-ditch tackle, the Star finally got on the score sheet when Wilson, under pressure from two defenders, manager to hook the ball over Purvis from the edge of the area.

Seaham were beginning to threaten a lot more going forwards, with Wilson’s shot from an angle flying into the side netting in the 61st minute.

However, the referee pulled the game back for a freekick, with Wilson having been fouled in the build up. Despite Mark Waite’s freekick crashing into the wall, Paul Weldon’s follow up effort came within a whisker of sneaking into the top corner.

Straight from the goal kick, Cunningham fed Smith through on goal. After the former Dunston winger cut inside of Liam Gillesphey, Bannon blocked his goalbound shot before Scott Young could clear the ball to safety.

The Seaham defence was at sixes and sevens as only one minute later, Ormston’s perfectly weighted pass found Cassidy in space, with the right-back’s volley whistling narrowly over.

Having just been brought on, Connor Campbell almost made an immediate impact in the 66th minute when his towering header, from a Cassidy freekick, flew the wrong side of the upright.

Wilson was proving to be a problem for the Shields defence and in the 68th minute, a header of his own, from a freekick on the right-hand side, forced Purvis into a fantastic save at his near post.

Seaham continued to press hard in search of a levelling goal, but the Robins defence was proving a stubborn nut to crack

They came ever so close to getting that equaliser as time was running out, when substitute Morgan Dart tried to emulate Wilson’s strike at the beginning of the half. This time, the Shields keeper was alert to the danger.

The Robins could have wrapped up the game with minutes remaining, when substitute Scott McCarthy found the ball at his feet in the penalty area, following a Cassidy corner.

Though his left-footed shot was charged down and blocked by Bannon, a poor clearance allowed Cassidy another chance to whip the ball into the area, with McCarthy vollying over from inside the penalty area.

After today’s result, the Robins remain in fifth place, whilst Seaham Red Star occupy 17th.

Seaham Red Star Starting Eleven: Chris Bannon, Scott Young, Joseph Hailes, Mark Waite, Paul Weldon, Liam Gillesphey, Jaden Cahill-Taylor, Paul Gardiner, Dan Wilson, David Robinson (c), Richard Coulson

Substitutes Bench: Anthony Myers, Matthew Tumilty, Morgan Dart, Aaron Steavens

North Shields Starting Eleven: Greg Purvis, Nick Cassidy, Chris McDonald, Gary Ormston, Paul New, Wayne Buchanan, Cam Cunningham (Connor Campbell 65), Adam Forster (c), Callum Smith (Scott McCarthy 75), Ryan Carr, Kyle Patton

Unused Substitutes: Paul Robinson, Paul Van-Zandvliet, Rhys Williams