SOUTH SHIELDS 2 HYDE UNITED 1 Morse helps keep Jon’s dream alive
SOUTH Shields captain Jon Shaw has always insisted that he wants his side to go on a good run in the FA Trophy.
So his side picked the perfect time to continue their involvement in this season’s competition with a hardearned win on their skipper’s 35th birthday.
It was Shaw’s defensive partner Dillon Morse that got the decisive goal to see off their Evo-Stik Premier Division rivals Hyde United in a tight affair in front of over 1,000 supporters at Mariners Park.
The hosts started well and took a deserved lead on 12 minutes with a goal from Carl Finnigan.
The former Falkirk and Gateshead striker collected a pass on the left-hand side of the visitors area, before cutting inside and slamming a low drive beyond keeper Peter Crook.
There were chances for the Mariners to extend their lead as both Nathan Lowe and Craig Baxter both went without reward for impressive efforts from outside of the area.
The visitors got back on level-terms midway through the half with a goal from midfielder Jordan Fagbola.
Mariners keeper Liam Connell produced a stunning save to keep out a powerful drive from Tom Pratt, but the rebound fell to Fagbola and he bundled the ball over the line from close range.
South Shields regained the lead just after the half-hour mark with yet another goal for centre-back Morse.
The goal owed much to a sumptuous cross from winger Josh Gillies as the former Darlington man whipped a ball into the area to leave Morse with a relatively straightforward task of heading home at the far-post.
The Mariners took their lead into half-time and almost extended it in the opening minutes of the second-half as Lee Mason and Nathan Lowe both went close.
Hyde hit back, but some dogged and determined defending from Blair Adams and Jon Shaw saw the Mariners duo produce goalline clearances to deny striker Jerome Wright.
Finnigan was next to try his luck as the two sides went toeto-toe and the striker almost caught out visitors keeper Crook with an audacious chip from distance.
The clock ticked down and there was almost an undeserved equaliser for the visitors as a speedy counter-attack ended with Pratt firing wide with the goal at his mercy.
There was to be no second chance so it’s South Shields visitors
Dillon Morse bags the winner then celebrates with the South Shields fans in their FA Trophy win over Hyde United that will be in tomorrow’s third qualifying round draw.
And that news meant there was another reason for captain Shaw to celebrate.