Scarborough Athletic pegged back by late leveller from hosts South Shields
A late equaliser rescued a point for South Shields against a battling Boro side who led for much of the game but had to settle for a 1-1 draw, from a high-quality action-packed clash on South Tyneside.
With Alex Purver beginning a two match suspension, Michael Woods came to to replace him, his first start for six weeks, in what was Scarborough Athletic’s 1000th match (including friendlies) since formation in 2007, writes Steve Adamson.
Boro began brightly, Jack Waldron passed forward to Harry Green, who raced into the area, but was halted by a Dillon Morse sliding tackle, then a Dom Tear header found Alex Wiles, whose shot was blocked by Ashton Mee.
Shields’ first attack saw Ryan Whitley dive to save a fierce Mackenzie Heaney strike, but Boro then opened the scoring on 14 minutes, when a right-wing corner from Luca Colville was headed in by skipper Will Thornton.
The hosts fought back, top-scorer Paul Blackett had a shot saved by the legs of Whitley, a strong Thornton tackle foiled Kyle Crossley, and Whitley dived to tip away a Mee shot.
Boro’s back line of Waldron, Kieran Weledji, Thornton and Alex Brown was on top form, repelling a succession of Shields attacks. Iestyn Hughes sent a cross into a crowded goalmouth, but Thornton hacked clear, Brown tackled Will Jenkins as he burst through, Mackenzie Heaney and Jenkins both fired wide, and Weledji headed a Blackett cross clear.
The pressure was intense, the superb Luca Colville tackled Heaney on the edge of the box, Whitley saved a Blackett shot, a Thornton diving header cleared a Martin Smith cross, and Weledji beat Crossley to a through-ball from Smith, as Boro reached the interval with their lead intact.
Shields had dominated possession in the first half, but it was much more even after the break, with Boro still defending well, but also looking threatening going forward, as Wiles and Colville took charge in midfield. Richie Bennett teed up Colville, who fired over, Waldron drilled a shot wide, and Green sent a low 20-yard free-kick inches wide.
In Shields attacks, a Heaney cross was headed over by Blackett, Crossley fired into the side-netting, and a Crossley shot was blocked by the outstanding Thornton.
On 66 minutes a piece of brilliance from Green, saw him twist past his marker, race down the left, and pass inside to Bennett, whose shot was blocked by Mee.
It was a terrific game, both sides battling for every ball.
For Shields, Heaney played Jenkins through, but a timely Weledji tackle averted the danger, a Heaney free-kick was headed against the bar by Jenkins, then on 75 minutes a swerving Heaney shot was superbly tipped over by Whitley, his third stunning save of the day.
Boro’s Green flashed a low ball across a crowded goalmouth, a long-rang Bennett shot was easily dealt with by keeper Myles Boney, who also smothered a Green free-kick, but Shields snatched a late leveller, when Briggs charged forward, and passed to Blackett, whose ball into the area was slammed in at the back post by Crossley.
S SHIELDS - Boney, Hughes, Shepherd, Smith, Morse, Briggs (c), Heaney, Jenkins, Blackett, Mee (Carson 71), Crossley, unused subs - Seymour, Myers-Smith, Sloan, Evitt
BORO - Whitley, Waldron (Marshall 89), Brown, Weledji, Thornton(c), Wiles, Green, Woods (Wilson 71), Bennett, Tear, Colville, unused subs - Hudson, Duckworth, Glynn
REFEREE - Jonathan Chadwick
GOALS - BORO - Will Thornton 14; SHIELDS - Kyle Crossley 87
GOAL ATTEMPTS – SHIELDS 14 (7 on target) BORO 9 (3 on target)
CORNERS - SOUTH SHIELDS 6 BORO 2
OFFSIDES - SOUTH SHIELDS 2 BORO 2
YELLOW CARDS - BORO - Michael Woods, Kieran Weledji, Ryan Whitley, Will Thornton; SOUTH SHIELDS - Ashton Mee, Paul Blackett, David Carson, Iestyn Hughes, Kyle Crossley
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Will Thornton
ATTENDANCE - 2,197 (220 away)