SHIELDS HEROES DENIED A PLAY-OFF
SOUTH SHIELDS will be playing National League North football next season after they missed out on the play-offs despite a convincing final-day win.
First-half goals from former Gateshead strikers Aaron Martin and Paul Blackett as well as a second-half strike by Heed loanee Jordan Hunter secured three points and eighth place in the Mariners first season in the sixth tier.
Mariners boss Elliot Dickman believes his side were unfortunate to miss out on post season football.
“I’m really pleased with the result, really pleased with how we played,” said Dickman. “But bitterly disappointed that we just missed out on the play-offs. It is where we deserved to be. The players are a fantastic group and they deserved a hell of a lot more.”
The Mariners started on the front foot with multiple dangerous attacks and got their reward after 18 minutes.
Hunter’s effort from distance was parried away by Sandgrounders keeper Chris Renshaw, and Martin was able to head in the rebound from close range.
Five minutes later, Shields were awarded a penalty when Blackett was brought down by Renshaw as he looked to get past him.
Blackett, the league’s top scorer, made it 30 goals for the campaign after coolly slotting his penalty past Renshaw.
Southport looked to get one back before half-time and nearly did when Tyler Walton’s effort was tipped on to the bar by Myles Boney with Will Russ firing over.
The Mariners were dominant in the second period, lowly Southport unable to get anywhere near their opponents’ goal. Shields almost added a third five minutes in when Mackenzie Heaney found Blair Adams inside the area but his effort was well stopped by Renshaw.
The Mariners got their third of the game six minutes after the hour mark when Hunter broke away down the right and fired in from a tight angle.
Blackett had two chances in quick succession to inflict further damage, first when his driven shot was parried by Renshaw.
Then a minute later when he broke down the right but failed to find a Shields player to tap in his pass across goal.
Boston’s final-day win at Hereford, however, meant that Shields’ efforts ultimately were in vain. STAR MAN: Jordan Hunter (South Shields) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★