Match Report: Spennymoor 2-1 South Shields

South Shields were knocked out of the Isuzu FA Trophy in the second round with a disappointing 2-1 defeat at the hands of Spennymoor Town.

Making a significantly shorter trip compared with Tuesday evening’s visit to Kidderminster Harriers, Shields arrived in Spennymoor knowing victory against the fellow National League North side could open up a run in the cup as well as the opportunity to face off against a National League side in the coming rounds.

There were four changes to Tuesday’s side, most notably the inclusion of Lucas De Bolle after missing midweek’s game. There was no place in the starting eleven for Paul Blackett, dropped to the bench as Elliott Dickman took no risk with his star man, who still relatively recently has returned from injury. The away side struggled initially to get to grips with Spennymoor’s fast and direct play, with forward Junior Mondal getting in behind the Shields back three several times in the early exchanges and Reece Staunton forcing a smart save out of Myles Boney five minutes into the game with a fierce strike from the left.

However, it was the Mariners who took the lead on seven minutes when Joe Richards won the ball high up the field and played Anton Dudik in down the right. The Carlisle United loanee did well to get his head up and find the pass as the ball was rolled to Will Jenkins who superbly swept the ball into the corner from twelve yards to give Shields the lead against the run of play.

Shocked to be behind after their early dominance, Spennymoor responded well to Jenkins’ early strike. Mondal, Tom Allan and the impressive Rob Ramshaw were finding pockets of space in the final third and suppressing the Shields wingbacks, as the dangerous Mackenzie Heaney was forced to spend the first half as a regular left-back; not able to offer any attacking threat due to the constant threat of the Town forward men.

With one of the more effective avenues of attack closed off, South Shields were not able to make the most of their spells of possession and were pegged back just minutes before the half-hour mark when De Bolle was dispossessed by the lively Staunton whose cut-back found Ramshaw, with his flick finding the net, leaving Boney stranded in his goal.

Tom Allan had grown into the game and was causing constant problems down the Shields left hand side and after his low effort was saved by Boney, on thirty-eight minutes, he was found by Ramshaw after a beautiful control and pass. Allan raced clear and fended off Heaney before poking the ball past the onrushing Boney as Spennymoor took a 2-1 lead into half-time.

For the second consecutive match, there were half-time changes in order for the away side as Kyle Crossley was introduced in the place of Jamie Bramwell. Shields started the second half with intent and looked more purposeful in possession as they forced Spennymoor deep into their own third. The first ten minutes were one-sided until a miscommunication between Dillon Morse and Boney over a long ball meant the gambling Mondal snuck in between them and took the ball round the goalkeeper, only to be brought down. The lively crowd of over 1000 were in uproar as the referee failed to point to the spot and Shields now had the opportunity to make the most of Spennymoor’s discontent.

Unfortunately for the Mariners, their opponents were quickly able to compose themselves and looked the more likely to score in a scrappy second half, with Allan rising well at the back post but heading over the bar in what was a rare second half opening. With fifteen minutes to play, captain Robert Briggs superbly found Richards on the right with a magnificent defence-splitting pass and Shields were able to earn a corner as they began to press for a late equaliser and force the game to penalties.

Dudik’s acrobatic effort from the resulting corner was cleared and, despite Blackett’s entrance to the field two minutes from time, it looked like their run in the cup was coming to an end. Substitute, Will Harris, came close to adding a third for the home side when he found himself in space with just Boney to beat, but the forward fired over as Shields desperately tried to muster up one more attack.

It was not to be, though, as the referee, Luis Griffiths’ final blast of the whistle signalled full-time. It was a performance that never quite got going for the Mariners as they exit the cup but turn their attention to the league next Saturday. The visit of Farsley Celtic to the 1st Cloud Arena presents a perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways.

Spennymoor Town: James, Staunton, Ross, Beals, Ramshaw, Mondal (Harris, 68), Dyson, Ledger, Allan, McKeown, Dolan (Shrimpton, 75)

Unused Subs: Johnson, Luck, McGinley

Goals: Ramshaw (28’), Allan (38’)

South Shields: Boney, Richards, Morse, Briggs, Bramwell (Crossley, 45), Heaney, Smith (Taylor, 65), Mee, Jenkins, De Bolle, Dudik (Blackett, 88)

Unused Subs: Seymour, Shepherd

Goals:

Jenkins (8’)

Attendance: 1052 (189 away fans)

Image credit: Kev Wilson

(@KevWilson19)