Crown Fitz Dunston as title rivals slip up
ANY side that go on to win the Northern League Division One title has to show resilience, determination and an ability to put setback behind them.
That is why Dunston UTS are rapidly closing in on being crowned as this season’s champions. And won’t they have deserved it? Chris Swailes’ side bounced back from their midweek home defeat against Ryhope CW to claim an impressive three points at top-four contenders North Shields.
They were made to work against a Robins side having an impressive season of their own, but two Mark Fitzpatrick goals took his side on step closer to the league title.
Dunston started well and striker Liam Brooks went close on two separate occasions, the second of which saw him head narrowly wide from a Callum Elliott corner-kick.
Slowly, but surely, a goal seemed to be coming and it should have arrived on 38 minutes when Fitzpatrick fired narrowly wide.
Within 60 seconds, he would give his side a deserved lead as he raced on to an Elliott pass and rifled an unstoppable effort beyond Robins keeper Michael Robinson.
Brooks almost doubled the lead just before half-time as he forced Robinson into an instinctive stop from his low drive.
The pressure continued after halftime and Jordan Nellis wasted a golden opportunity to add to Dunston’s lead when he fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
That miss was almost punished as the hosts started to threaten for the first time in the game as the hourmark approached.