Match Report: South Shields 2-0 Lancaster City

Second half efforts from Darius Osei and Robert Briggs earned South Shields three vital points in the Pitching In Northern Premier League as Lancaster City were beaten 2-0 at 1st Cloud Arena.

Shields dominated but were frustrated in their efforts to find a breakthrough until Osei headed in on the hour.

Briggs sealed the win six minutes from the end with a superb curled effort as the Mariners secured a third straight victory to strengthen their position at the top of the table.

One change was made to the Shields team which won 4-2 against Marske United in midweek, with Lewis Alessandra replacing Ade Shokunbi.

There was little in the way of goalmouth action in the early stages, but Lancaster demonstrated a threat going forward, particularly from set pieces.

Shields gradually took control and went close as Dylan Mottley-Henry flashed a header over from a Martin Smith cross.

Alessandra sent an effort wide from 20 yards and Jordy Mongoy hit one over from a similar distance for the Mariners, who created a better opportunity just after the half-hour mark.

Mongoy was the creator as he teed up Alessandra on the edge of the area, but he could only drag his shot past the post.

The hosts were now dominating in the possession and territory stakes, and almost took the lead when a Mongoy cross picked out Gary Liddle, only for the defender to be denied by an excellent block from goalkeeper Sam Waller.

Briggs drilled one narrowly wide via a deflection and Alessandra's effort also touched a defender on its way through to Waller, with Shields unable to find the all-important breakthrough.

Many inside 1st Cloud Arena thought it had arrived a minute into first half stoppage time when Mongoy tapped in a rebound, but the assistant referee's flag had already been raised for an earlier offside.

Chances were more difficult to come by in the early stages of the second half, before Mackenzie Heaney's introduction just before the hour sparked Shields into life.

The substitute had a strike blocked from inside the area from a Jordan Hunter cut-back and Tom Broadbent tested Waller with a powerful strike from distance which the goalkeeper did brilliantly to hold.

The Mariners had Lancaster on the back foot and took advantage when Martin Smith held up a superb cross from the right of the area and Osei towered above his marker to head in via the underside of the crossbar. It was the forward's 10th league goal of the season for Shields.

There was almost a quickfire headed double from Shields, but Mottley-Henry's effort from a Hunter cross went wide.

They continued to push for a second and had opportunities to claim it, with Heaney having a shot deflected past the post and Brad Carsley going close to scoring an own goal from a Shields corner.

The Mariners remained patient and received their reward in brilliant fashion six minutes from the end as Briggs worked the ball onto his left foot and curled a terrific effort into the corner of the net.

Blair Adams almost added more gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time as his right foot strike arrowed towards the top corner, but Waller produced a tremendous fingertip save to deny him.

Shields had by then already secured the points, and they will battle for another victory on Tuesday when they welcome Liversedge to 1st Cloud Arena.

South Shields: Boney, Hunter, Adams (c), Liddle, Broadbent, Smith, Briggs, Alessandra (Woods 86), Osei, Mottley-Henry (Gomes 86), Mongoy (Heaney 56). Subs not used: Doherty, Shokunbi.

Goals: Osei (60), Briggs (84).

Attendance: 2,237.

Image: Kev Wilson.