Brave SSFC Women unable to withstand Thornaby pressure

A brave South Shields Women side couldn’t withstand Thornaby’s pressure on Sunday, as the title contenders convincingly won 4-0 at Downhill Hub.

Former Mariners Eve Gatens and Sophie Curle scored early doors to put the visitors three goals ahead within 21 minutes, before Nicki Gears capitalised on a defensive mistake to net the Blues’ fourth.

Shields handled things much better defensively in the second-half, and created a fair number of opportunities for themselves in front of goal, but there was little they could do to change the scoreline.

The Mariners remain in sixth place in the NERWFL Premier Division table with three games of the league campaign remaining.

An unpredictable forecast throughout the afternoon cast chaos on Shields’ preparations from minute one, and by the 10th minute they had found themselves one goal behind.

Gears threaded a through ball to Gatens, who easily slotted her touch beyond Alena Miller, which landed in the middle of the net.

Curle then flashed a shot narrowly wide, before she would get on the scoresheet herself.

Gears, once again, launched a through ball to a running Curle, who was left one-on-one with Miller - the attacker won out and Thornaby’s lead was doubled in the 21st minute.

The pair combined again for the Blues’ third - Gears caught onto Miller’s goal-kick and laid it off to Curle, who promptly made no mistake from close-range. 

Gears scored Thornaby’s fourth after she won a tussle with Shields’ Desiree Rodriguez, before the forward confidently placed her shot into the far-right corner.

It wasn’t for a lack of trying, but the Mariners found themselves with a mountain to climb following the restart.

Madison Bouggess and Rodriguez especially impressed during a much-improved second-half, with them carving countless chances for their teammates to try and finish.

But the difference in quality shone through and the damage had already been done.

The lasses now have a full week to prepare for their next challenge, which is at home to Alnwick Town Ladies, where they will look to carry forward the belief shown during the second-half.

South Shields Women: Miller, Simpson, Robinson, Yeakey, Wootten, McDonald, Hoot, Scarpiello, Rodriguez, Bouggess.

Substitutes: None.

Thornaby FC Women: Wareham, Knowles, Gears, Harland, Newton, H. Robson, Clark, Tierney, Gatens, Curle, Little.

Substitutes: McQuilling, Dryden, A. Robson, Scott, Palmer.

Goals: Gatens (9’), Curle (21’, 23’), Gears (35’).

Image credit: Craig McNair (@ideventphoto).