Match Report: Scarborough Athletic 2-2 South Shields

South Shields were forced to settle for a point on their travels against a resilient Scarborough Athletic side on Tuesday night.

The Mariners had gone two-nil up through Sonny Finch and, later, Will Jenkins but the hosts managed to respond with two late goals by Theo Chapman and Jake Hull.

Shields remain top of the Enterprise National League North table with a reduced lead over AFC Fylde - four points ahead having played one more game than them.

Tom Watson stopped Scarborough early on after Kieran Weledji attempted a header straight at the ‘keeper following Jack Waldron’s cross into the box.

The visitors then found their moment to break, following what was otherwise a slow start - a sequence of fabulous quick passes unlocked Finch’s chance on goal which was slotted past Ryan Whitley.

Scarborough threatened with two free-kicks in the spell following the opener but neither managed to hit the back of the net.

Harry Green forced Watson into making an excellent diving block before Rio Allan tried an audacious shot, which only just narrowly went over the bar, on the stroke of half-time.

After the break, it was a familiar story to that of the first-half: a slow start by both teams.

Shields thought they had a sure-fire match-winner in the 78th minute when Jenkins made it two.

But the hosts responded five minutes later after a wide delivery on the right found a waiting Chapman near the goal-line.

The drama wasn’t finished there, as in the second minute of stoppage-time, Scarborough equalised.

Those in white thought they had cleared it off the line, those in red argued it crossed the line.

Ultimately the referee sided with the home players as they clawed their way back from a two-goal deficit in the dying stages of the game.

Shields pushed for a winner as the match stretched to the 96th minute, but it wasn’t to be.

The lads travel to Kings Lynn Town on Saturday as their quest for automatic promotion continues (3pm kick-off).

Scarborough Athletic: Whitley, Weledji, Thornton, Allan, Walker, Green, Tear, Brown, Waldron, Bennett (Chapman 73’), Hull.

Unused substitutes: Duckworth, Gibson-Booth, Walpole.

Goals: Chapman (83’), Hull (90+1’).

South Shields: Watson, Tinkler, Bainbridge, Robson, Jenkins, Ward (Roles 67’), Mann, Finch (Morse 67’), Wheeldon, Scott, Dodds.

Unused substitutes: Sykes, Smith, McGurk, Alcock, Savage.

Goals: Finch (24’), Jenkins (78’).

Image credit: Scarborough Athletic.