The Chronicle

Three in a row as Mariners seal promotion

- MARK CARRUTHERS

SOUTH Shields secured a third consecutiv­e promotion as they took all three points with a dominant win against Glossop North End.

The win means that the Mariners are guaranteed to finish in the Evo-Stik North’s top three and will face the likes of Whitby Town, Stalybridg­e Celtic and former FA Trophy winners North Ferriby United in the league’s top-flight next season.

The Mariners made the perfect start to the game as Gavin Cogdon broke the North End offside trap before squaring for fellow striker Carl Finnigan.

The former Newcastle United academy player didn’t have to break his stride and calmly stroked the ball into the net from eight yards.

They added a second goal by the time the clock reached the tenth minute. Lee Mason continued his fine form by dancing past two challenges before producing an intricate reverse-pass for Gavin Cogdon and the former Spennymoor Town man rifled the ball beyond North End keeper Russell Saunders from a narrow angle.

That was to be temporary respite for the vistors as the Mariners stepped up their efforts and dominated possession up to the half-hour mark.

That was when Cogdon extended their lead with his second of the night. The pacey striker was given too much time just inside the visitors’ area and his right-foot shot was deflected past Saunders.

Glossop almost pulled a goal back within the first five minutes of the second-half but striker Lewis Lacy could only fire over the crossbar from the edge of the Mariners area.

The hosts responded by slowing the game down and going back to their usual quick-paced passing game.

The Mariners were dominating proceeding­s, much to the delight of majority of the 1,437 crowd.

Jon Shaw, Carl Finnigan and Matty Pattison all went close to extending the lead, with the latter scraping the post after being played in on goal by Briggs.

Promotion number three is secured, now for a third consecutiv­e league title.

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