Match Report: Peterborough Sports 2-4 South Shields

South Shields earned their first away win of the season as a storming second half performance saw them come from behind against Peterborough Sports.

The Mariners found themselves a goal down at half-time, but Paul Blackett levelled early in the second half and Michael Woods fired the away side into the lead.

Blair Adams extended the advantage and although a stoppage time penalty from Sports set up a potentially dramatic ending, substitute CJ Clarke settled any nerves with a stunning strike to complete a 4-2 victory.

The win moved Shields up to second in the Vanarama National League North table.

Julio Arca lined his team up in a 3-5-2 formation at PIMS Park, with wing-backs John Lufudu and Adams given the licence to attack regularly down the flanks.

The Mariners saw plenty of the ball early on, with Blackett and Adams having half-chances to open the scoring, but the Turbines went close with a deflected effort from Jordan Nicholson which skidded past the post.

They took the lead on the counter in the 19th minute when Nicholson’s cross from the right found captain Mark Jones, who drilled it into the bottom corner despite the best efforts of Myles Boney.

Shields appeared to be attempting to adjust to their new formation but did create opportunities for an equaliser in the first half.

Aaron Martin fired into the side netting after a Woods ball over the top, Blackett rifled one over and Adams saw a shot blocked.

Gary Liddle and Tom Broadbent were sharp to block from Josh McCammon and Hugh Alban Jones as Shields went in at the break with a one-goal deficit.

They returned for the second half with renewed vigour and equalised on 50 minutes, with Blackett controlling a ball over the top brilliantly before forcing his way past a defender and clinically rolling the ball past Peter Crook in the Sports goal.

Lufudu was denied by a fine block as Shields looked for a quickfire double, but it was Woods who nudged their noses in front on 64 minutes.

Martin won the ball in the opposition half and Woods took it forward before burying an effort from the edge of the box for his first goal of the season.

The points appeared to be safe when Adams made it three, slamming home from close range after Lufudu had slid an excellent ball across the area and Woods had seen his initial shot blocked.

But the hosts responded well and after a period of pressure, they were awarded a penalty which Dan Lawlor converted three minutes into stoppage time.

Seven minutes had been indicated and a grandstand finish awaited, but substitute Clarke finished things off in style with the goal of the game in the dying embers.

After collecting the ball on the left flank, he spun his way past a defender, dribbled into the box and rifled an unstoppable strike in off the underside of the bar from an acute angle.

It was a fitting way to seal the Mariners’ well-deserved first away win.

South Shields: Boney, Lufudu, Adams (c), Liddle, Morse, Broadbent, Smith, Woods (Clarke 80), Hasani (Briggs 75), Blackett (Mongoy 75), Martin. Subs not used: Gomes, Abbey.

Goals: Blackett (50), Woods (64), Adams (70), Clarke (90+7).

Attendance: 445.

Image: Kev Wilson.