MARINERS REMAIN RIDING HIGH

SOUTH Shields stayed top of the table after securing their fifth win on the spin.

By contrast, it was struggling’s Matlock’s fifth loss in a row.

Matlock, under the new management of Dave Frecklington, brought in four debutants and for the opening 39 minutes were well in contention but then the visitors attacked down the left and home goalkeeper Richard Walton could not hold David Foley’s shot, leaving Gavin Cogdon to slot in the loose ball from close range.

Three minutes later, Shields doubled the lead when Josh Gillies was left unmarked from a lofted pass to slide the ball home beyond the unprotected Walton.

Foley made it three 11 minutes into the second half, picking up the pieces after a pressurised Walton failed to grasp a difficult low centre from the left. Matlock at least looked more organised than of late, but judgement on their performance needs to be reserved for the time being. Sadly, apart from a fierce strike by debutant Tom Davie which flashed wide Shields were untroubled.