South Shields delivered their most convincing victory of the season as Darius Osei and Joao Gomes notched braces in a dominant 5-0 win over Bamber Bridge at 1st Cloud Arena on Tuesday.
Dylan Mottley-Henry was also on the scoresheet as the Mariners moved up to second in the Pitching In Northern Premier League table.
Kevin Phillips made two changes to the team which defeated Stafford Rangers 2-0 three days earlier and one of those introduced was Osei, who headed home the opener in the 14th minute.
The other player brought into the team was Gomes, and he slotted in the second before Osei scored again shortly before half-time to strengthen Shields’ position.
The Mariners were playing with real confidence and added a fourth when Mottley-Henry headed in from a Mackenzie Heaney corner as the forward recorded his third assist of the night.
Gomes completed the scoring nine minutes from the end with another fine finish into the top corner.
Shields were convincing throughout the 90 minutes and provided a threat from the outset, with Gomes a particular menace.
With the game still goalless, though, Tom Broadbent prevented a clear shot on goal for the visitors as he made a tremendous tackle to deny Fin Sinclair-Smith.
The breakthrough arrived in the 14th minute as Osei headed in a brilliant Heaney cross from the right on his first start since returning from a loan spell at Ashton United.
There was almost a quickfire double when Mottley-Henry’s teasing delivery from the left took a deflection and bounced narrowly past the post.
Broadbent thumped one over from long range and Shields dominated possession and territory before doubling their advantage seven minutes before the break. Heaney was again at the heart of it, sending in a cross which was headed down by Blair Adams and caressed into the corner of the net by Gomes.
The Heaney-Osei combination shone again to produce goal number three, with another Heaney cross met by a powerful, downward header from Osei which gave goalkeeper Felix Goddard no chance.
The Mariners picked up where they left off at the start of the second half and after another half-chance, they scored again when Heaney’s tremendous corner was headed in at the near post by Mottley-Henry.
Gomes could have doubled his tally when he created space for himself in the box, but fired over, and new signing Jordy Mongoy produced an eye-catching display from the bench, with one terrific piece of skill almost leading to a shooting opportunity, only for a well-timed tackle to thwart him.
The fifth goal did come with nine minutes remaining and it was Gomes who got it, finishing into the top corner with a sliced effort after Broadbent had headed a Robert Briggs free-kick across the area.
The result was Shields’ third win in succession, meaning they will take great confidence into Saturday’s league trip to Warrington Town.
South Shields: Boney, Hunter, Adams (c), Liddle, Broadbent, Smith (Ross 75), Heaney (Doherty 72), Briggs, Osei (Mongoy 65), Gomes, Mottley-Henry. Subs not used: Morse, Alessandra.
Goals: Osei (14, 42), Gomes (38, 81), Mottley-Henry (63).
Bamber Bridge: Goddard, Green, Skinner, S Sinclair, Wilson, Churchman, Roache (Alabi 60), I Sinclair, Sinclair-Smith, Forbes (Green 60), Lescott. Subs not used: Turner, Thomson, Fisher.
Attendance: 1,671.
Image: Kev Wilson.