Tag: Paul Connor

ENL 1 – Sunderland RCA Result

Shildon AFC Still on Course to Win the League

After a comfortable 4 – 1 away win at Sunderland RCA on Tuesday 21st April 2015, Shildon AFC are still on course to win the league. The Railwaymen have only two league games left, and if they win them both they will be crowned champions. The last time Shildon won the league was the 1939-40 season, some 75 years ago.

A big crowd is expected at Dean Street on Saturday 25th April when the Railwaymen entertain Durham City in their last home game of the season. The following Wednesday 29th April they travel to Bedlington Terriers for their final away game.

Shildon took an early lead on 6 minutes when a cross from Billy Greulich-Smith was fired into his own goal by RCA’s No 4 Lee Bythway.

Ten minutes later it was 2 – 0 when a long ball from Chris Emms found Paul Connor who hustled his way through and beat keeper Carl Morris.

It was all Shildon and before the half hour it was 3 – 0 when a Paul Connor shot hit the bar and keeper Morris punched the ball into his own net for RCA’s second own goal.

Half Time:  Sunderland RCA  0  Shildon AFC  3

It was a similar pattern in the second half with Shildon in control, with Billy Greulich-Smith heading wide and Chris Emms firing over from 6 yards.

Shildon went 4 – 0 up on 67 minutes when a cross from Billy was headed in from close range by Paul Connor.

RCA were unlucky not to score when a cracking long range drive from Michael Charlton hit the bar, with keeper Lewis Graham well beaten.

For Shildon, Chris Emms ran through and beat two defenders but keeper Morris made a good stop.

Near the end RCA pulled a goal back when a corner kick was headed home by James Armstrong.

Final Score:  Sunderland RCA  1  Shildon AFC  4

Goalscorers:  Connor 16, 67 (RCA 2 own Goals)

Subs:  Hodgson for Jones 19, Richardson for Moore 64, Scoggins for Connor 68.

Bookings:  (Y) Harwood 80.

After the match manager Gary Forrest said “Another good display. If we carry on with the same attitude and determination they we’ve got every chance of winning the league. There are only two games left but we must win them both and cannot afford any slip ups”.

Shildon have another important match to play on Tuesday 5th May when they are at Heritage Park, Bishop Auckland in the final of the League Cup against Newton Aycliffe. The kick off is 7 00pm not 7 30pm.

ENL1 – West Allotment Result

Shildon Move Up To 3rd

Shildon AFC are now 3rd in the league with games in hand after a 2 – 0 home win against West Allotment Celtic on Wednesday 25th March 2015.

The game was won within the first few minutes with the Railwaymen scoring twice. The first came on 5 minutes when John Brackstone headed in a right wing cross.

On 9 minutes Paul Connor cleverly wrong-footed three defenders and then the keeper Ryan Beal, to score a great individual goal for 2 – 0.

Although to was all Shildon, near the break Celtic’s Marc Walton fired wide from the edge of the box.

Half Time:  Shildon AFC  2  West Allotment Celtic  0

The 2nd half was a dull affair with very few scoring chances from either side.

On the hour Celtic’s Liam Anderson was through but miss kicked. Then Celtic’s Marc Walton headed over before they were down to 10 men on 78 minutes when Marc Dummett was red carded for a bad tackle on Sam Hodgson.

Near the end Shildon’s Mark Doninger hit the post.

Final Score:  Shildon AFC  2  West Allotment Celtic  0

Goalscorers:  Brackstone 5, Connor 9.

Subs:  Chapman for Greulich-Smith 65, Taylor for Hudson 75.

A poor game to watch, but a win is a win, and we move on to the next match which is at home to Penrith on Saturday 28th March 2015.

Team

1) Kyle Hayes
2) Jamie Harwood
3) Marc Ellison
4) Lee Scroggins
5) John Brackstone
6) Daniel Moore
7) Mark Hudson (C)
8) Sam Hodgson
9) Paul Connor
10) Mark Doninger
11) Billy Greulich-Smith

Subs

12) Jack Taylor on for Hudson
14) Lee Chapman on for Greulich-Smith
15) Carl Jones
16) Lewis Graham

Man-of-The-Match

ENL 1 – West Auckland Result

An Evenly Matched Affair

Shildon AFC are still 3rd in the league after an enthralling evenly matched  2 – 2 home draw against top of the league side West Auckland Town on Saturday 28th February 2015.

In front of a big crowd, Shildon nearly scored in the 1st minute when Jamie Harwood found Lee Scroggins but his shot was well blocked with his body by keeper Dan Lowson.

West scored a minute later with their first attack of the game when Lewis Galpin found ex Shildon forward Craig Ruddy, who looked suspiciously off side, for him to put the ball past keeper Kyle Hayes.

Shildon came slowly into the game  and were level on 24 minutes when Lee Scroggins found Paul Connor whose cool right footer beat keeper Lowson. Connor had the ball in the net again, but the goal was ruled off side by the assistant referee.

On 33 minutes West’s Craig Ruddy’s shot was deflected wide for a corner, then Daryll Hall headed just over the bar. Shortly after, Shildon’s keeper Kyle Hayes pulled off two great saves, the first from Alex Francis and then from Mattie Moffat, before the ball was eventually cleared off the line.

Half Time:  Shildon AFC  1  West Auckland Town  1

Early in the 2nd half it was end to end stuff but not many clear cut chances, with Mattie Moffat firing over the bar just before the hour.

Shildon went behind for the 2nd time on 71 minutes when Micky Tait fired into the area for top notch poacher Mattie Moffat to poke the ball home.

The lead was short lived as the Railwaymen were level minutes later when Paul Connor put in a brilliant cross from the right and Mark Doninger blasted a cracking goal into the roof of the next from close range.

Shildon were reduced to 10 men on 80 minutes when Sam Hodgson received his 2nd yellow card, and with the one man advantage West’s player/manager Steven Skinner send central defender Daryll Hall into the attack in the quest for the winner. But with just 3 minutes remaining this move nearly backfired on him as Shildon’s Mark Doninger crossed to the unmarked Adam Rundle, but he headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Final Score:  Shildon AFC  2  West Auckland Town  2

Goalscorers:  Connor 24, Doninger 77.

Subs:  Richardson for Chapman 46, Rundle for Emms 75, Ellison for Wood 81.

Bookings:  (R) Hodgson 80  (Y)  Emms 75, Moore 90.

A hard fought game between two evenly matched sides. In the end a draw was a fair result. After today’s results West have been knocked off the top of the league with Guisborough taking over the top spot. They have 67 points and played 33 games. West, in 2nd place are on 66 points and played 32 games, whilst Shildon are 3rd on 63 points but have only played 29 games. The league title is still wide open.

Team

1) Kyle Hayes
2) Jamie Harwood
3) Lee Chapman
4) Lee Scroggins
5) Darren Craddock
6) Daniel Moore
7) Mark Doninger
8) Sam Hodgson
9) Paul Connor
10) Ben Wood
11) Chris Emms

Subs

12) Adam Rundle on for Emms
14) Darren Richardson on for Chapman
15) Carl Jones
16) Marc Ellison on for Wood
17) Lewis Graham

Goals

Connor, Doninger

Bookings

Yellow – Moore, Emms,

Red – Hodgson

Man-of-The-Match

Tow Law 2-5 Shildon

The close season officially ended today for the Railwaymen and their hosts, Tow Law Town, and for Shildon the new season began with a five star display at the Ironworks. 

Shildon dominated possession and took a two goal first half lead before some lax defending allowed the Lawyers back into the game with two cheap replies.

But the Railwaymen got back on track and scored three more without reply to open their 2014-15 season with a thoroughly deserved 5-2 win.

Two of Shildon’s four close season signings made debut starts, with the returning Daniel ‘Bobby’ Moore in centre midfield and Adam Rundle on the left wing both performing well.

The Durham Challenge Cup winners were on the front foot from the kick off but it took until the 25th minute for Billy Greulich-Smith – the county cup goal hero – to open the scoring with a simple tap in after good work down the right side.

In the 40th minute the lead was doubled when Paul Connor, who looked dangerous throughout the first half, cut inside on the right before curling a left-footed shot past the keeper’s right hand and into the far corner of the net.

But what looked like a straightforward victory was complicated by slack defending either side of the first half.

Just before the break a simple through ball put Scott Thomson clear, and with the defence static, the midfielder has the simplest of tasks to lob the ball over the onrushing Lewis Graham in the Shildon goal.

And just after the break, confusion in the Shildon defence was followed by confusion over the outcome of Simon Ord’s cross-cum-chip, which fortuitously sailed over Lewis Graham and into the far corner of the net. At first it appeared to have been ruled out for a foul, but the referee then seemed to change his mind and award the equalising goal after all.

The goal came as Shildon’s second half substitutes were still finding their feet, but Shildon took the lead again after Sam Garvie had his taken from under him by Tow Law’s keeper. Mark Hudson stepped up to coolly slot home the resultant penalty, sending the keeper the wrong way (pictured above).

It was then the turn of Michael Rae to score his first Shildon goal on his second half debut. Shildon’s forwards pressed the Tow Law defence into losing the ball before sending Rae through to slide the ball easily past the keeper for Shildon’s fourth.

Shildon were playing some scintillating passing football on this hot Saturday afternoon and had two goals ruled out for narrow offside decisions. Both deserved reward for the excellent build-up play that preceded them.

But there was time yet for the Railwaymen to add a fifth goal. Another excellent move down the right culminated in a 16 yard drive by Sam Hodgson which nestled in the corner of the net and saw Shildon off to a comfortable start to their pre-season.

Next up will be a sterner test at Blyth Spartans on Tuesday evening before the side’s first home friendly next Friday – a rematch from last season as Scottish League One side Stranraer visit Dean Street.

Shildon: Graham, Harwood, Richardson, Craddock, Brackstone, Moore, Ruddy, Hudson, Rundle, Greulich-Smith, Connor. Subs: Emms, Rae, Wood, Garvie Hodgson, Atkin (unused).

See photos from today’s match by Tom Clegg on Flickr.