Match Report: South Shields 2-0 Chester FC

South Shields recorded their first win of the calendar year with a fully deserved and impressive 2-0 victory over Chester. The away side came into the game at the summit of the table and as heavy favourites over an out of form Shields side who were without centre-back partnership, Dillon Morse and Tom Broadbent due to injury and suspension.

The home side started the better of the two with Dylan Stephenson causing plenty of problems down the right flank in his first start after rejoining for his second spell at the club from Dagenham & Redbridge. Kyle Crossley, operating on the left of the front three, came close to opening the scoring on two occasions in the first twenty minutes, once forcing a save out of Jimmy Storer in the Chester goal and next demanding a penalty when shoved in the back on his approach to striking towards goal. Referee, Dawson, waved away any shouts as Shields applied some excellent early pressure on, consistently getting beyond the back line of Chester in an enthralling first quarter.

He need not worry, though, as on thirty-seven minutes, Coleby Shepherd fought well in the area to keep a corner alive, and Crossley reacted first to strike from twelve yards and aided by a deflection, watched his effort loop over Storer and into the net off the post.

The hosts had a deserved lead and came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage in the final minute of normal time in the first half. Crossley found himself one on one after being set free by Will Jenkins. With just the goalkeeper to beat, Crossley opted to square the ball to the waiting Paul Blackett, however, the poked effort across goal had too much pace on it and evaded Blackett as he failed to convert on the stretch.

As the half-time whistle sounded, Shields went into the break deservedly a goal to the good and looked to add in what was a scrappy second half encounter in front of a raucous atmosphere at the 1st Cloud Arena.

Tom Peers thought he had equalised for the visitors just after the hour mark when he converted after a swift break, however the lineman’s flag spared the blushes of the home side as Chester increased their foothold in the game.

A resolute defensive display, though, led by captain, Robert Briggs, and the impressive Coleby Shepherd standing in a centre-back, meant Shields were rarely troubled as they looked to hold on to what would be a vital three points.

Daylight was then established between the two sides ten minutes from time when Martin Smith’s searching ball was excellently won by Stephenson in the air. His header landed at the feet of Blackett who proved his class by finishing with aplomb, leaving Storer with no chance as Shields doubled their advantage.

Blackett came close to adding a third in the eighty-fifth minute when his fierce shot from the left was held by Storer after being set clear by Smith once more. However, time was not on the side of Chester as despite a flurry of set-pieces in the seven minutes of added time, Myles Boney was not tested in the Mariners goal and Shields held on to a comfortable two-nil victory, sending out a huge statement to the rest of the table as their outside push to the top seven continues.

The games continue to come thick and fast as Shields make the trip down to Buxton on Tuesday evening before travelling to Chorley on Saturday in what is a tricky week for the Mariners as they look to push beyond mid-table and back into the promotion mix.

South Shields: Boney, Hughes (Mee, 65), Briggs, Shepherd, Heaney, Smith, Jenkins, Carson, Stephenson, Blackett (Myers-Smith, 86), Crossley (Ward, 70)

Unused Substitutes: Seymour, Sloan

Goals: Crossley (37’), Blackett (79’)

Chester: Storer, Hunter (Roberts, 46), Burke, Weeks, Rawlinson, Peers, Woodthorpe, Woods, Bainbridge, Murray (Willoughby, 72), Roberts (Mooney, 46)

Unused Substitutes: Pollock, Burgess

Attendance: 2125

Image Credit: Kev Wilson

(@KevWilson19)