Match Report: South Shields 0-1 Brackley Town

South Shields narrowly lost one nil at home against Brackley in the National League North after Morgan Roberts scored the only goal of the game. 

Paul Blackett came closest to opening the scoring for the Mariners in a first half which had very few clear-cut chances for either side. 

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 81st minute when Roberts found the back of the South Shields net. 

South Shields made two changes from the side that lost three-one at King’s Lynn last Saturday with Robert Briggs returning from suspension and Blair Adams making a return from injury with CJ Clarke and Jed Abbey dropping to the bench. 

The first chance of the game came in the 15th minute when Michael Woods’ ball over the top found Blackett, but the striker’s lobbed effort looped over the bar. 

The visitors came close to opening the scoring in the 33rd minute after a counter-attack when Danny Newton’s effort was saved low down by Myles Boney before Connor Hall’s follow-up was blocked. 

The Saints came close again in the opening minutes of the second half when a header from a free-kick looped onto the top of the South Shields’ crossbar.  

In the 54th minute second-half substitute CJ Clarke’s through ball found Blackett who raced in behind but was unable to find a way past Danny Lewis in the Brackley goal. 

Tom Broadbent came close to finding the back of the net from distance in the 70th minute but saw his shot sail just wide. 

Boney was called into action two minutes later to save a Connor Hall header from close range after a cross from Newton on the left-hand side. 

Brackley's winner came in the 81st minute when Roberts dribbled past two South Shields players before beating Boney from a tight angle. 

South Shields: Boney, Hunter, Morse, Broadbent, Adams (C) (Abbey 79), Briggs, Smith, Heaney, Woods (Clarke 50), Blackett, Stephenson (Martin 64)

Unused subs: Savage, Sloan