Non-league football round-up (25 February): Blyth make it three wins in three, Gateshead tie at bottom-placed Maidstone and more
Blyth Spartans made it three wins from three on Saturday to give them every chance of survival in the National League North, after edging out a tight 1-0 win away against bottom-of-the-table AFC Telford.
Gateshead, too, faced the bottom side in Maidstone United, but were unable to take the three points back to Tyneside. Josh Shonibare’s first strike for the hosts equalised an earlier George Fowler own goal and the game finished 1-1.
Here’s how the rest of the north east fared on Saturday, 25 February.
National League North
Darlington continued their recent patchy form by drawing a stalemate affair at home to Kidderminster Harriers. This leaves the side winless in four as the play-off hopefuls look to bounce back as the season goes on.
Spennymoor Town didn’t make the most of their long trip to Gloucester, meanwhile, as Jason Ainsley’s team lost out 2-0. Goals by Owen Evans, described by Moors’ Twitter as “a great goal from range” as well as a late Phillip effort condemned the visitors to a pointless match.
Northern Premier League Premier Division
South Shields took the three points late on against Belper Town, coming out 1-0 winners thanks to a Jordy Mongoy goal in the 80th minute. Jordan Hunter’s cross “towards the back post” met Mongoy, who, according to Twitter, “heads it back across goal, into the bottom corner.”
That leaves Kevin Phillips’ side a handful of wins away from securing promotion to the National League North for the first time in the club’s history.
Morpeth Town defeated Nantwich Town 2-1, meanwhile, because of a Connor Thomson penalty on the cusp of half-time, as well as a late winner by Matty Cornish.
Northern Premier League Division One East
A crowd of 136 witnessed Hebburn Town come to a 2-0 win against Carlton Town. The long trip was worth it, all because of player-manager Daniel Moore’s opener in the first-half, which was followed up later by Robbie Spence in the second.
Besides the recent 4-0 thrashing by Grimsby Borough, the Hornets’ form has been promising as the side looks towards consolidating a play-off position at the season’s end.
Consett lost out 3-0 against Long Eaton United, Dunston’s trip to Lincoln United was dampened by a 2-1 defeat, while North Shields struck three past Pontefract Collieries, in a convincing 3-0 win for the hosts.
Northern Football League Division One and Two
The pick of the bunch in the top division was Sunderland RCA, who recently announced they would no longer resign from the league as planned at the end of the season, who in front of a crowd of 156 lost 6-0 to Redcar Athletic.
In the second division, Bedlington Terriers knocked four past Chester-le-Street Town in front of 103 people, while Jarrow beat Redcar Town 3-2 with a crowd of 104.
