STEELMEN SUCCUMB AS RED-HOT ROBINS HIT FIVE
SNOW THE BIG WINNER AS ONLY TWO NORTHERN LEAGUE GAMES BEAT THE BAD WEATHER
The weather was the only real winner on Saturday as local football in the North East suffered a near wipeout.
Only two games were played in the Ebac Northern League, with the match of the day at North Shields.
The third-top Robins won a thriller 5-2 at home to fifthplaced Consett in front of 284 supporters at the Daren Persson Stadium.
The Steelmen started brightly and goalkeeper Sean McCafferty was in action early on, to save from both Calvin Smith and Michael Sweet.
On 13 minutes, Michael Mackay had a shot on target, saved by McCafferty’s legs, while, at the other end, Lee Mason was denied by visiting keeper James Platten.
The deadlock was broken on 22 minutes, when North Shields’ Richard Pell headed home from a corner kick, with Consett appealing in vain for a foul on the keeper.
Four minutes later, Mason broke free and got through on goal, but Platten saved well, turning it away for another corner.
Consett equalised on the half hour mark, when Mackay found space and fired home from just inside the box.
Adam Forster then had a close-range shot well saved by Platten and Craig McFarlane smashed one just past the post, but the score remained 1-1.
Three minutes before halftime, McCafferty’s mistake let Sweet in on goal, but his effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by Pell.
A minute later, Daniel Craggs saw his free-kick hit the post as Consett finished the first half strongly.
But North Shields stormed back in front on the restart, with Gary Ormston converting a penalty against his former club.
Moments later it was 2-2, when Jordan Lavery’s cross was met by Sweet, who drilled it home at the back post.
The home side regained the lead when Forster fired past keeper Platten.
Seven minutes later, Ben Harmison had a header brilliantly saved as the hosts kept up their momentum. Sweet nearly equalised for Consett on 62 minutes, but his half-volley hit the post, with McCafferty well beaten. Mackay had a free header to equalise, but it went wide. North Shields all but put the game to bed with a fourth goal on 73 minutes, when McFarlane broke free and beat the on-rushing Platten.
In the last minute, Gareth Bainbridge hit a fifth.
Consett chairman Frank Bell said: “It was a disappointing result for us obviously and was certainly not a 5-2 thrashing, but they were the better team in the second half, so we have to be magnani- mous in defeat, as they probably deserved the win.
“They did very well to get the game on in the first place and it was a smashing game of football, with both goalkeepers been kept busy all afternoon and the game was a good advert for the Ebac Northern League.”
The only otther game which went ahead was at Whitley Bay, where they endrew 2-2 with Guisborough Town, watched by 272 fans.
Ben Hugill had a great chance to give the visiting Priorymen a first-half lead, but goalkeeper Thomas Flynn made an excellent save from point blank range.
Early in the second half, Thibault Charmey struck a thunderbolt towards Guisborough’s goal, but goalkeeper Jordan Nixon made a great save, tipping the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner, Ross Wilkinson headed just over.
On the hour mark, Guisborough nearly took the lead when David Onions made space and his shot was well saved by Flynn. Two minutes later, Town were made to pay for that miss when Kyle Patton broke the deadlock, netting at the back post.
Immediately afterwards, Onions’ shot hit the post and bounced out to safety, with Flynn well beaten.
In the 70th minute, Patton went on a great run and drove a fierce shot inches wide.
Guisborough levelled from the penalty spot on 75 minutes, with Nathan Steel netting. With two minutes left, Scott Jasper headed wide of the mark as Bay pushed for a winner.
But the hosts still found time to go ahead in the final minute, as Callum Anderson found the back of the net, following a corner.
Guisborough, though, dramatically secured a point three minutes into stoppage time, when Steven Roberts’ strike deflected past Flynn.
Bay stayed eighth, while fourth-bottom Guisborough – who have had three points deducted for fielding an ineligible player earlier this season – moved seven points clear of the bottom three.
All other Division One games were called off, as was the entire programme in Division Two. Bedlington Terriers have had three points deducted in the Second Division.
No matches survived in the TWR Bifolds Wearside League.