Month: July 2014

Shildon 1-3 Hamilton Academical

Two goals in the final nine minutes and two penalties were the difference between the sides as Shildon took on Scottish Premiership opposition at Dean Street. The Railwaymen took the lead through Paul Connor and almost held on to it until half time but a 45th minute penalty, converted by Jason Scotland, brought the visitors back into the game. Shildon received an intense lesson in defending in the second half and held out until late in the game, but two goals in the final nine minutes, including another penalty, gave the top flight Scottish side a deserved but hard fought victory.

Tom Clegg took the photos, available below and on flickr.

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Guisborough Town v Shildon

Shildon took the lead in their pre-season Eric Powell Charity Cup match at Guisborough Town, but the home side proved too strong for the much-changed Shildon, who gave some of their young reserves the opportunity to taste first team football. Two unstoppable free kicks and another goal gave Guisborough a 3-1 win and the trophy. Tom Clegg’s photos are available here and online at Flickr.

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Pay what you can to see Shildon v Hamilton Accies

Shildon have secured a late addition to their friendly schedule in the form of Scottish Premier League opposition. 

Hamilton Academical FC will be the visitors to Dean Street next Saturday, 26th July in a special Community Friendly.

Instead of the usual entry fee, Shildon are opening the gates and asking the community to ‘pay what you can’ for this game.

A club spokesperson said: “If all you can afford is 50 pence, you will still be able to gain entry to this match against prestigious opposition. We would like as many people in the community as possible to come along to Dean Street and enjoy this match against a side playing at the very top level in Scotland. It is not often games like this come along and we would like as many people in the community as possible to have the opportunity to see this match.”

Hamilton Accies created a sensation in Scotland last season when they famously relegated Hibernian in an end of season playoff, consigning the Edinburgh club to the Scottish Championship alongside their city rivals Hearts.

Having lost the first leg of the match 0-2 at New Douglas Park, Hamilton travelled to Edinburgh and Easter Road with a monumental task ahead of them.

An early goal from Jason Scotland gave the visitors hope, but as the clock ran down, it looked like Hibs would survive. Then, in the last ten seconds of normal time, up popped Anthony Andreu to level the aggregate scores and take the match to extra time. 

With no further score in the tie, the match went to penalties and it was Accies who prevailed, winning the shootout 4-3 to record one the most sensational results in modern Scottish football history.

Now Shildon will have the opportunity to play the Premier League new boys in what will be the sternest test of their pre-season schedule. Kick off at Dean Street is scheduled for 1pm and the club hopes that with a pay what you can entry fee, the community will turn out in numbers to support the Railwaymen.

New home and away kit unveiled

Shildon will be sporting a new home and away kit over the next two seasons, modelled here by last season’s Player of the Year, Darren Craddock; club captain, Mark Hudson; goalkeeper, Lewis Graham; forward, Ben Wood, and new boy Adam Rundle.

New major sponsor Victus Solutions UK will sponsor the home kit for the first team, reserves and under 18s while Blue Diamond Machine Tools, owned by club chairman Brian Burn will sponsor the respective away kits.

Identity Consult will sponsor the kits for all of the Development Centre teams and all the club’s sides from the under 7s to the first team will wear the same Errea kit, supplied by Motif8.

The kit is now available for pre-order, with payments accepted in cash at the club shop or electronically via Paypal. Email clubshop@shildonafc.com for ordering and enquiries.

Tow Law v Shildon

Shildon’s pre-season got off to a flier with a 5-2 win at Tow Law Town. Billy Greulich-Smith opened the scoring at the Ironworks before Paul Connor doubled the visitors’ lead.

But the home side tested the Railwaymen by scoring either side of half time to draw the sides level before Shildon retook the lead through a Mark Hudson penalty and then pulled away to a comfortable victory with a debut goal for Michael Rae before the pick of the bunch by Sam Hodgson.

Tom Clegg was there to take the photos which can be viewed here and on Flickr.

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Shildon 0-1 Stranraer

Shildon unveiled their new home kit against Stranraer on Friday night in their third pre-season friendly of the new campaign.  It was also their first match of the new season back at Dean Street and although they fell to a single goal two minutes from time, the Railwaymen can be hugely satisfied at matching the Scottish League One side for almost the entire game.

Indeed, the better chances were created by Shildon before the visitors took the lead. Lewis Graham produced an excellent save, stopping a driven shot low to his left side in the early moments of the game before ‘Bobby’ Moore poleaxed a Stranraer defender with a rocket from 25 yards.

After an even first half, Paul Connor could have opened the scoring at the beginning of the second, holding off a number of defenders superbly before skewing his show narrowly wide of the far post from a tight angle.

It was a game of few real chances as both sides cancelled each other out in a competitive midfield battle with the deadlock not being broken until two minutes from time. A well worked move set the Stranraer manager’s brother, Chris Aitken away and he made no mistake, stroking the ball past the onrushing Lewis Graham from the edge of the box.

As Shildon pressed forward in search of a last gasp equaliser, it was instead Lewis Graham who produced another wonder save at the other end as the visitors broke away to prevent an even more unfair scoreline.

Stranraer manager, Stephen Aitken was very complimentary of the Railwaymen’s performance, acknowledging that the side had improved and strengthened since the two met each other during last pre-season.

And certainly the lads can take plenty of confidence from their performances so far in pre-season and will not have had that dented last night, even if a draw would have been a fairer result.

Shildon team: Graham, Richardson, Harwood, Atkin, Craddock, Hudson (Hodgson), Moore, Rundle, Wood, Ruddy, Connor (Garvie).

Railwaymen trek from Britain’s highest pub

You have to be either crazy or a Shildon fan to be setting off from Britain’s highest pub at 10am on a Sunday morning to walk 8 miles across country to Bowes.

In this case our intrepid adventurers are indeed Shildon fans: Norman Smith (also a club director), Wilf Tray, Amanda Scaife and Tom Clegg all set off this morning on a reconnaissance mission to check out the way to Bowes in preparation for their real trek – a sponsored walk in the August Bank Holiday from Tan Hill Inn – Great Britain’s highest pub – all the way back to Dean Street; just a small matter of 28 miles!

The four will make the walk to raise funds for the football club and for each of their chosen charities. (Today’s walk was a freebie!)

Two more will be joining the walk in August and we will bring you information about them in a later update.

Look out too for more details of the sponsored walk and how you can sponsor the walkers in the local press and here on our website in the coming days and weeks.

As for today, we can report that the adventurers made it safely to Bowes and are now all back home enjoying a well earned Sunday dinner!