Recap

Redcar Athletic 2-1 North Shields

Steelmen: Adam Boyes (71’), Layton Watts (90+5’)

Shields: Dan Savage (39’)

Layton Watts drove a dagger through the heart of a young North Shields, as Redcar Athletic snatched all three points in the depths of stoppage time.

Trailing at the break to a shock opener from Dan Savage, the Steelmen roared back as play resumed with a tirade on the Robins’ net.

A headed effort from Adam Boyes finally unlocked the stubborn defence, paving the way for Layton Watts to lash home the decisive goal deep into added on time.

Two weeks to the day West Allotment Celtic marred Carl Jarrett’s Green Lane debut, the boss returned to the hallowed turf with a number of fresh faces to boot.

Charlie Graham starred in the heart of defence, whilst Jack Blackford made waves out wide, drawing cheers from the crowd with sporadic darting runs inside from the flank.

A relative newcomer himself, Mark Anderson opened the floodgates of Redcar’s ruthless attack, letting fly from deep in the midfield with little success.

Such became the theme of Athletic’s first half forays, perhaps best described as a lack of end product.

Adam Boyes rose to meet a lofted pass from a weaving Jack Blackford, nodding comfortably over the frame of shot-stopper Callum Dobson’s goal.

Fellow debutant Charlie Graham drew the first save from the Robins’ number one, watching his headed effort dip towards the underside of the bar before intervention.

A knock to midfield maestro Anthony Bell saw the introduction of Layton Watts, a man owed some credit for changing the pace of the game.

The forward drove goalwards with his first contribution to the match, catching Callum Dobson scrambling as his dragged effort skimmed across the far post.

As the break loomed, Redcar were made to rue such spurned opportunities, as South Shields youngster Dan Savage pounced on a defensive error to pick out the bottom corner.

Perhaps awoken by the first half shock, the Steelmen breathed new life come the restart of play.

Redcar three times tested the Robins’ Callum Dobson inside quarter of an hour: perhaps best through fullback Brad Mills, whose venomous effort ricocheted clear off an outstretched leg.

A deep delivery from the right-back finally unlocked an otherwise impenetrable backline, dropping kindly for the clinical Adam Boyes to nod timidly past the sprawling number one.

With parity to boot, the Steelmen rode a tidal wave of confidence, penning North Shields firmly into their own defensive third.

Within minutes, Redcar unsuccessfully made two viable penalty shouts, before Brad Mills’ effort to turn finisher was denied by the woodwork.

Layton Watts was next to greet the frame of the goal, watching hopelessly as his deflected rebound recoiled clear, after his initial attempt was hooked off the line.

Six minutes added on spurred the Green Lane crowd on behind the desperate Steelmen, yet again bemused to be level as Curtis Round’s goal line effort was miraculously cleared away.

Unrelenting pressure finally bore fruit in the fifth minute of stoppage time, as Layton Watts arrived on the scene of a scramble to dash the spirits of a young North Shields side: a lashed effort of some calibre, fit to win any match.

Attendance: 309

Line-Up: Roberts, Mills, Ferguson, Liddle (O’Sullivan 88’), Burgess, Graham, Blackford (Walker 78’), Bell (Watts 25’), Boyes, Anderson, Round

Next Match: Richmond Town (h) | Tuesday 20th February 2024