Adam Yates reports from a windy 1st Cloud Arena as an unchanged Marine side were undone in the North East away to South Shields.
A Paul Blackett brace was the difference as the home side deservedly beat out their Marine counterparts. Both goals came early on in the first half and in a similar fashion to the game prior v Scunthorpe, Marine’s downfall was a penalty and an unforced error from the back.
Josh Wardle upended Paul Blackett in the ninth minute as he entered the box and the referee was given no choice but to award Shields the spot kick which Blackett sent straight down the middle of Matty Corran’s goal.
The league’s top scorer was on the score sheet once more ten minutes later as Corran and his back line gave away possession only for Blackett to race behind the defence and slot away an easy second goal via a lobbed effort over Corran. It was an example of why Shields have scored more goals than anyone else in the National League North so far this season.
Tom Allan was unlucky not to make it three as his free kick hit the crossbar from far out which showcased how the wind was affecting the game’s flow.
The second half was kinder to Marine as they threw everything at the South Shields goal via crosses, long rangers and corners looking for their first league goal away from home since August.
Finlay Sinclair-Smith replicated Allan’s long range free kick effort with the wind behind himself and the ball but his effort, although solid, reached the keeper’s chest comfortably.
Chances also followed by the likes of James Butler, Bradley Holmes and James Brown but all were either slightly wide of the mark or unable to trouble South Shields GK, Boney.
Marine – Corran, Brown, Mattock, Wardle (c), J.Butler, Whelan, Gregson (Robinson 55′), Charley Doyle (Holmes 70′) , Sinclair-Smith, Agius (Lusiama 55′), Murphy.
Unused subs: Atcheson, Thomas.
Next Up…
Marine see out 2024 with two hotly anticipated matchups. Firstly, a boxing day treat at the Marine Travel Arena hosting Chester FC followed a week later with a New Year’s Day hop skip and a jump to Warrington Town.
Attendance – 1829