Last-gasp Foley strike gives Mariners point
LANCASTER CITY 1 SOUTH SHIELDS 1
A late David Foley goal ensured that South Shields will spend Christmas in the Evo-stik NPL Premier Division play-off places after their draw at Lancaster City.
Ben Hudson put the hosts ahead on 87 minutes and looked set to extend the Mariners’ poor away record until Foley grabbed a point for his side deep into added-on time.
Graham Fenton and Lee Picton’s side almost made the worst possible start to the game as goalkeeper Liam Connell made an outstanding save to keep out an effort from Dolly Blues striker Tom Kilfillin with just three minutes on the clock.
The Mariners reacted well to that letoff and created chances of their own as Gavin Cogdon had a shot blocked and midfielder Nathan Lowe sent a longdistance effort wide of the far-post.
The opportunities continued to flow for both sides as half-time approached.
Glenn Steel smashed a volley wide for the hosts and Robert Briggs, Dillon Morse and Carl Finnigan all went close in quick succession for South Shields.
The deadlock remained in place at half-time, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying from either side.
It was the Mariners that had the upper-hand in the opening-stages of the second-half and they put their hosts under serious pressure.
Briggs crashed a shot wide from the right-hand side of the area, then Nathan Lowe forced Dolly Blues keeper Jack Simms into a smart save just after the hour-mark.
The former Southport and Spennymoor midfielder was again left to curse the impressive keeping of Simms when the City number one tipped another long-range effort wide with 70 minutes gone.
Those missed opportunities came back to haunt the Mariners when Ben Hudson edged the hosts in front with just three minutes left on the clock.
A free-kick from the left-hand side was headed on by substitute Charlie Russell and that was flicked into the net at the back post by defender Hudson.
That goal should have stretched the Mariners away record to seven defeats in 11 games, but they are made of sterner stuff and roared back into the game to claim a point.
Substitute Ben Harmison caused problems in the hosts’ defence and his deflected effort found David Foley, who smashed the ball past Simms from close-range, much to the delight of an impressive band of travelling support.
There was still a chance for late heartbreak for the Mariners as Ryan Winder hit the bar from six yards in the last of five minutes of injury-time. That miss ensured the points were shared and that the Mariners will be in the play-off places as they head into Boxing Day’s crunch clash at Scarborough Athletic.
Lancaster City: Simms, Fensome, Lonsdale, Wills, Hudson, Williams, Winder, Steel, Kilfilin, Wilson, Jarvis Subs: Henry, Jordan, Bailey, Russell, Thornley South Shields: Connell, Baxter, Adams (Lough), Shaw, Morse, Turnbull, Cogdon (Harmison), Briggs, Gillies (Foley), Finnigan, Lowe Subs: Brown, Mouanda