Photos by Tom Clegg from Saturday’s Ebac Northern League Division One tie between Consett and Shildon at the new Belle Vue Stadium as now online. Shildon returned to the top of the league after an excellent 2-0 win. Both goals, the first by Paul Connor and the second by Ben Wood, came in the second half.
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Shildon returned to the top of the Northern League Division One table on Saturday after a 2-0 win at Consett’s new Belle Vue Stadium.
Paul Connor, who could have had a hat trick, opened the scoring early in the second half and the tie was put beyond the home side when Ben Wood scored with 15 minutes to play.
Consett started the brighter on their new artificial surface, using the conditions as well as their knowledge of the pitch to take the game to the Railwaymen.
Shildon, on the other hand, struggled with the stiff and freezing wind blowing into their faces.
All the same, Consett were limited to shots form distance and failed to trouble Lewis Graham in the Shildon goal.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Railwaymen eventually warmed to the task, finding their feet and their way towards the Consett goal. A through ball to Paul Connor provided the best chance of the half and with just the goalkeeper to beat, it seemed a certainty Shildon would enter the break with the lead. But somehow, the top scorer lost his composure and blazed the chance over the bar.
The end to the first half hinted that the visitors, with the icy wind at their backs, might respond more positively in the second half, and it took just five minutes for Connor to atone for his earlier miss.
Jamie Harwood collected the ball in his own half and strode forward before feeding Mark Hudson. The captain twisted inside the box and squared to Connor who this time kept his composure to deftly chip the ball over the keeper and into the corner.
The goal forced the hosts to push players forward and Shildon should have taken better advantage of the chances they created on the break. Lewis Graham was also forced to participate in the game and saved the visitors on a couple of occasions.
But it was Connor who was again presented with a great opportunity to double Shildon’s lead. Put through by Jamie Harwood with a long ball over the Consett midfield, he again found himself bearing down on Elliot’s goal and had perhaps too much time to think about his finish. Consequently, the keeper was able to touch the ball away from him as he tried to round him and the chance was lost.
While the fans remained aware that a one goal gap was a vulnerable lead, so were the players, but unlike the nervous fans, they continued to take the game to their hosts and with just 15 minutes remaining, they were rewarded for their endeavour.
A long throw down the wing found Sam Garvie, who glanced up and crossed to Ben Wood in space in the box. The striker controlled the ball with his first touch before smashing an unstoppable shot across the keeper and into the bottom corner.
It was a dominant second half display by the visitors who deservedly returned home with the three points.
And with news filtering through that the league leaders had fallen to a 3-1 defeat at Newcastle Benfield, Shildon will once again spend the weekend at the top of the table.
Match highlights from Shildon’s table-topping victory over Penrith at Dean Street on 28 December. Shildon end the year as league leaders after Paul Connor’s solitary goal secured a league double over the Cumbrian side in the final game of 2013.
Shildon returned to the top of the league with a hard fought 1-0 win over Penrith at Dean Street.
Top marksman, Paul Connor scored the vital winner just 26 seconds into the second half, converting Ben Wood’s low cross.
Two excellent saves by Lewis Graham were complimented by Joshua Richardson’s saves in the opposite goal and Shildon survived a near miss at the end to hold out for an excellent, and important win on a heavy surface.
The win means it will be a Happy New Year for all at Shildon as they close out 2013 and begin 2014 at the top of the Northern League’s Division One.
Photos of today’s game are courtesy of Tom Clegg.
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Today’s tie between Shildon and Spennymoor Town has been called off due to a frozen pitch.
Goal highlights of Shildon’s comprehensive victory over Bishop Auckland. A brace from Paul Connor and Mark Doninger ensured Shildon returned to the top of the table before the weekend’s fixtures.
Ebac Northern League Division One, Saturday 7 December 2013
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Second half highlights of Shildon’s return to the top of the league after a last minute winner Ben Wood at New Ferens Park against Durham City.
Unfortunately technical difficulties mean we couldn’t bring you the first half of this match, in which Shildon took a 4th minute lead through Paul Connor. Fortunately, the remaining four goals in this five-goal thriller came in the second half.
Goal highlights of Crook Town’s home victory over Shildon, giving them the double over the Railwaymen in their first season back in the top division:
In the wake of Shildon’s exit from the FA Vase on Saturday at the hands of West Auckland, who won by the game’s solitary goal, Shildon manager, Gary Forrest has released the following statement:
“I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the people who turned up on Saturday and gave us such fantastic support, we could not have asked any more of you.
“If we are all honest it was a dreadful game in which both teams cancelled each other out, and it appeared like both teams were too frightened about losing to actually take the game by the scruff of the neck and go for the win.
“That was one of our poorest performances of the season. Of all the games in which to put in such a poor performance, we chose that one. After such a poor performance, I tend to sit and analyse the game and attempt to work out what we did wrong and what we could have done better. I genuinely cannot fathom out why we performed so badly and have come to the conclusion that it was just a really bad day at the office!
“I know the players are hurting today and feel that they let themselves and the supporters down, but we need to put this behind us and focus all our energy on challenging for the league title. Please don’t lose faith in us as we need to do this together.
“Over the last six years we have all worked really hard to build a fantastic football club with solid foundations. The club goes from strength to strength; we have a great supporters club, youth development set up, the best social marketing and the ground looks superb in comparison to six years ago.
“Unfortunately on the pitch the word ‘bridesmaid’ springs to mind. In those six years we have finished runners up in the league, 4th in the league, semi-finalists in the Vase, quarter-finalists in the Vase, league cup finalists, and lost 5 further semi finals.
“I would love to deliver silverware to the club as it appears to be the missing piece of the jigsaw. However, we will NEVER sacrifice our principals of playing attractive passing football. This season we have scored 61 league goals in 22 games and some of our football has been fantastic at times. Yes we take risks, yes we conspire to beat ourselves at times by attempting to play football on poor surfaces and in difficult conditions, but it is the way we believe a football team should play.
“So let’s put Saturday behind us and move on to another tough game at Crook on Friday night. If we manage to pick up three points on Friday we will extend our lead over Celtic Nation to seven points, Spennymoor to 9 points and West Auckland to 14, with both Spennymoor and West playing each other the following day.”
FA Vase Second Round, Saturday 16th November 2013
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