League: ENL1

West Allotment Celtic vs Shildon

MATCH REPORT BY WILF TRAY (edited by Michael Wilson)

West Allotment Celtic FC 1–5 Shildon AFC: Ruthless Shildon Hit Five to Go Top

Shildon AFC stormed to the summit of the league—at least temporarily—with a commanding 5–1 away win over West Allotment Celtic, extending their unbeaten start to the season in emphatic fashion.

The visitors signalled their intent from the off, with Andrei Ardelaen finding the net inside the opening minute, only to be denied by an offside flag. Despite the early pressure, it was the hosts who struck first, capitalising on a misplaced pass across the box from Gary Brown. Their striker pounced and fired past Matty Wheeler to give Celtic the lead.

Shildon responded swiftly. A defensive mix-up saw a chasing home defender inadvertently slot the ball past his own goalkeeper to level the scores. Just before the interval, Shildon seized control as Ciaran Banks delivered a pinpoint free-kick to the far post, where Gary Brown made amends by heading home to make it 2–1.

The second half was a showcase of attacking flair and discipline from the visitors. Luke Spalding, who earned man of the match honours, netted twice with clinical finishes to put the game beyond reach. The final flourish came in spectacular fashion— Ciaran Banks spotting the keeper off his line and audaciously chipping him from the halfway mark to seal a five-star performance.

With this result, Shildon sit atop the table ahead of Tuesday’s fixtures and turn their attention to Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Birtley, brimming with confidence and momentum.

Attendance: 104

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Boro Rangers vs Shildon

MATCH REPORT BY WILF TRAY (edited by Michael Wilson)

Boro Rangers 1–1 Shildon: Ten-Man Shildon Battle to Earn Hard-Fought Point

Shildon AFC dug deep to secure a valuable point on the road in a gritty 1–1 draw against Boro Rangers, in a match dominated by swirling winds and high drama.

The visitors thought they had taken an early lead when Billy Greulich-Smith found the net, only for the referee to rule out the effort for a foul on the goalkeeper. That decision proved costly as Boro Rangers broke the deadlock midway through the first half. Matty Wheeler did well to tip a dangerous free-kick onto the crossbar, but the hosts’ centre-forward reacted quickest to the rebound, slotting home from close range.

Shildon’s task became even tougher just before the break when veteran defender Gary Brown was shown a second yellow card in the 43rd minute, reducing the visitors to ten men.

Despite the numerical disadvantage and the challenge of playing into the wind, Shildon produced a spirited second-half display. Their persistence paid off in the 85th minute when Adam Lennox calmly side-footed past the keeper to level the scores and spark jubilant celebrations among the travelling support.

However, the drama didn’t end there. Moments later, Lennox was shown a straight red card for ungentlemanly conduct, leaving Shildon to see out the final minutes with just nine men.

In the end, it was a gutsy performance and a well-earned point for Shildon at one of the league’s toughest away grounds.

Attendance: 114

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Newcastle Blue Star vs Shildon

MATCH REPORT BY WILF TRAY (edited by Michael Wilson)

Shildon Secure First Win of the Season with Dominant Display

Shildon built on Saturday’s draw with a commanding 3-1 victory over Newcastle Blue Star, a team widely tipped for promotion this season. The Railwaymen set the tone early, with Ciaran Banks racing through to score in just the 3rd minute, giving Shildon an early lead they never relinquished.

The visitors doubled their advantage in the 9th minute when Billy Greulich Smith’s shot was parried by the goalkeeper, only for Luke Spalding to tap home the rebound. Shildon continued to dominate the first half, maintaining control and creating several chances, though they were unable to add to their tally before the break.

In the second half, Newcastle Blue Star began to find their footing, but Shildon’s defence held firm, limiting the home side to only a few half-chances. The game was effectively sealed in the 81st minute when Sam Hodgson unleashed a stunning 25-yard drive that left the goalkeeper with no chance.

Despite a late consolation goal for Newcastle Blue Star from a penalty in the 90th minute, Shildon celebrated a well-deserved 3-1 victory. However, the win may have come at a cost, with both Aaron Cunningham and Elliott Day suffering serious-looking injuries.

Overall, it was a strong performance from Shildon, who will be looking to build on this momentum in their upcoming fixtures.

Attendance: 546

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Carlisle City vs Shildon

MATCH REPORT BY WILF TRAY (edited by Michael Wilson)

Opening Day Ends in Goalless Draw for Shildon

Shildon began their 2025/26 league campaign with a 0–0 draw against Carlisle, as chances proved few and far between in a tightly contested encounter.

The visitors struggled to generate meaningful openings throughout, with only a handful of efforts failing to truly test the Carlisle defence.   At the other end, Shildon’s new goalkeeper Sam Taylor impressed on debut, pulling off two superb saves in the second half to keep the scores level.

Carlisle came closest to securing the win late on, when a well-struck free kick crashed against the crossbar — but the honours ultimately ended even.

Speaking after the game, manager Chris Hughes said:

“We didn’t do enough to win today. A draw was probably a fair result in the end.”

Shildon now turn their focus to Tuesday night’s trip to Newcastle Blue Star FC, where they’ll be looking to sharpen up in attack and build on a solid defensive foundation.

Attendance: 163

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Sam Taylor

Having developed through Middlesbrough’s academy, Sam was a scholar at Huddersfield Town, where he gained valuable experience on loan at Northallerton Town. He later spent eighteen months as a professional at York City before joining Billingham Synthonia on loan where he played during the 2024/25 season.

SPONSOR:

TONY BENNETT