Late heartbreak as Mariners crash out

STRATFORD TOWN SOUTH SHIELDS 2 1

SOUTH Shields were sent crashing out of the FA Trophy thanks to an injury-time winner.

The Mariners started brightly and took the lead on 17 minutes through Carl Finnigan.

A Nathan Lowe drive was parried by Town keeper Richard Walton, but former Falkirk and Gateshead striker Finnigan was on hand to tap home the loose ball.

The lead was almost doubled just after the half hour when a drilled cross from Lowe just evaded the Dillon Morse at the far post.

Lowe then forced Walton into a smart stop low down to his right as the Mariners dominated the first half.

That all changed after the interval as the hosts started to get on top and matters swung heavily in their favour on 56 minutes when South Shields were reduced to 10 men.

Lowe was adjudged to have handled a goal-bound shot and was shown a straight red card by referee Andrew Genders.

Wilson Carvalho slotted home the resultant penalty to get his side back on level terms.

The Mariners were denied a spot-kick of their own midway through the second half when Finnigan was upended in the area by Town captain James Fry.

This time Genders chose to keep his whistle in his hand, much to the surprise of the boisterous travelling support.

Roared on by those fans, South Shields pressed their hosts backwards as the game headed towards its conclusion.

There were chances for what could be considered a surprise win given the circumstances and Robert Briggs, Finnigan and substitute Ben Harmison all went close in the last 10 minutes.

But there was to be late heartbreak for Graham Fenton and Lee Picton’s side as Mike Taylor lashed home a winning goal in the last minute of stoppage time and ended the Mariners FA Trophy run for another year.

Carl Finnigan celebrates putting South Shields 1-0 ahead away at Stratford.