Forrest will take more scruffy wins

It wasn’t a vintage Shildon performance which Forrest put down to their recent lack of activity caused by two postponed games and another abandoned at half time.

“I think the festivities and our lack of action told on the lads,” said Forrest. “We haven’t been able to train because of the bad weather, and so there was always a concern that our performance would dip.

“We haven’t been as prolific like we usually are, but if we win all our games for the rest of the season like that, then I’ll settle for it. The good thing is, we’ve had three clean sheets in our last four matches, and that’s a big plus.”

The game wasn’t the best on a heavy pitch, but the crucial goal came just after half time, when Sam Garvie sent Ben Wood up the left, and he crossed for former Stoke City striker Paul Connor to tap in his 15th league goal of the season.

Shildon are now top of the table on goal difference because previous leaders Celtic Nation were held to a 1-1 draw at Dunston UTS.

Jonny Wightman missed an easy chance for Dunston early on, but then Liam Connell pulled off three good saves at the other end. The Nation took the lead when Matty Grieve headed in from a corner, and they almost added to their lead before half time.

But Dunston improved in the second half when sub Andy Bulford came on, and he scored a peach of an equaliser when he beat two defenders and fired into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Dunston UTS manager Billy Irwin said; “It was a great performance, especially in the second half. It was a great goal by Bully.”

Spennymoor weren’t as convincing as the 3-1 scoreline against Billingham Synthonia suggests, but they are still looking good in fifth place, eight points behind Shildon with four games in hand.

Gavin Cogdon set up the first goal for Liam Henderson to score with a low shot on 8 minutes, and they went 2-0 up on 23 minutes when Chay Liddle crossed for Micky Laws to head in.

Synners though battled back, and Michael Sweet put them back into the game with a header from a Dan McWilliams cross. They missed several chances to equalise, and Moors made them pay when Dan Taylor fired the third with a terrific shot that went in off the post.

Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley said; “We were nowhere near our best, but three points are all that matters, and Dan Taylor’s goal for the third was enough to win any game. Synners played very well, and on another day could have got something out of the game.”

Billingham Synthonia assistant manager Lee Tucker said; “We should have had at least a point. We played really well, but concede three very dubious goals, two that our lads were convinced were offside, and the other a handball. Spennymoor are too good for those decisions to go against you and still win. We can be very pleased with our performance though.”

Fourth placed Ashington lost ground because of a 3-2 defeat at Consett.

The home side took the lead through Luke Sullivan’s 27th league goal of the season from a Michael Mackay pass, but they couldn’t increase their lead, and paid the penalty when James Taylor levelled two minutes before half time with a low shot.

Michael Mackay restored Consett’s lead just after half time from an Anthony Lund pass, and then he got another from a Calvin Smith assist. Sam Norris pulled a goal back in stoppage time.

Consett manager Kenny Lindoe said; “It was a very open game with plenty of good attacking play. I thought 3-1 was about right and then they got one in stoppage time to give me more concern.”

Ashington assistant manager Perry Briggs said; “It was a poor performance by us today. We never got out of second gear but still had chances to get something.”

Guisborough’s surge up the table continued when they beat Whitley Bay 3-1 at the King George. Whitley took the lead after 12 minutes when Paul Chow chipped Ben Escritt for his 26th league goal of the season, but Guisborough levelled on half time when Mikey Roberts latched onto a long ball and fired home.

Early in the second half Roberts burst through and set up Danny Johnson for an easy tap in, and after Johnson had a penalty saved, Callum Martin made the game safe from a Peter Bulmer pass.

Guisborough have lost just once in their last fourteen games, and Johnson has scored in their last five.

Guisborough manager Chris Hardy said; "It was a very pleasing performance given the fact that we continued our run of form and our climb up the table.

"Our offensive play was as good as it's been over the season, with a free flowing, high energy attack making a top Whitley Bay side look very ordinary."

Whitley Bay manager Ian Chandler said; “We played very well in the first half, and could have been 3-0 up. However, Guisborough got a goal at the death in the first half and we were disgraceful in the second half and could have lost by a bigger margin.”

Crook Town had a good 3-1 home win over Bishop Auckland, and manager Gary Pearson put the victory down to a Friday evening training session. After both teams missed chances, Crook took the lead with an excellent free kick by Craig Price, then recent signing Lewis Teesdale finished off a good four man move for the second before half time.

Bishops pulled one back when Danny Brunskill scored from a free kick, and just as Bishops looked as if they would equalise, Richard Hodgson scored a third for Crook from the penalty spot.

Crook manager Gary Pearson said; “We are delighted with the win. We took our chances in the first half at a point when the game could have gone either way. In the second half we were the best team and thoroughly deserved to win. We welcomed Richard Hodgson back to the team and he made a huge difference. We trained on Friday evening and I feel it benefitted us.”

Bishop Auckland coach Steve Riley said; “I felt we started brightly in the first half and should have been two goals up before Crook scored. We regrouped in the second half, and came out and deservedly scored. But not long after crook got a penalty which was very soft and knocked us back before we could respond again. I felt if showed a bit more composure and quality in the final third of the field, we would have taken something out of the game.”

Billingham Town’s miserable season continued when they were beaten 2-0 at home by Team Northumbria Town missed some good chances before TN took the lead through Liam McNamara, and the visitors made sure in the dying minutes when Jake Richardson scored from 25 yards.

It was TN’s first clean sheet of the season in the league.

Team Northumbria manager Paul Johnson said; “I’m pleased with the points, but I thought we weren’t at our best. We had plenty of chances to have been four or five up by half time had it not been for a good performance by their keeper and the woodwork. The downside was we had two players carried off which I’m not happy about as we were continually stopped from playing with fouls, but the second goal scored by Jake was a great finish, so what goes around, comes around I suppose.”

Team Northumbria’s victory means that they are now level on points with Sunderland RCA, who were thumped 4-0 at home in a one-sided game by Newton Aycliffe.

The visitors took the lead when Jamie Owens scored from a Paul Broom cross, then Owens got the second from the spot following a handball offence from a Harrison Davies free kick.

Tom Atkinson scored a good third when he beat two men and fired past Jonathan Carmichael before half time, and in the second half recent signing Steve Butterworth headed the fourth from a Davies corner.

Sunderland RCA manager David Lee said; “Nowhere near good enough performance today. We lacked workrate and passion.”

Newton Aycliffe manager Allan Oliver said; “We’ve come a long way in a year. This team last season we only had 15 points, and this year we’ve already got 39.”

Hebburn won their first home game of the season when they beat Marske United 1-0, Kris Goss scoring midway through the first half from 25 yards. Marske hit the woodwork twice through Andy Jennings and Liam O’Sullivan. It was Hebburn’s first clean sheet of the season, while Marske have now failed to score in their last three.

Hebburn manager Scott Oliver said; “We had one shot and rode our luck. In the second half the attitude of the players was fantastic.”

Marske manager Ted Watts said; “Our goals have dried up, I’m very disappointed.”

In the second division, second placed West Allotment boosted their promotion hopes with an excellent 5-0 home win over Norton, Chris Reid scoring four of them.

He put them into the lead with a free kick from the edge of the area, and then he scored a second from a Chris Douglas free kick.

He completed a first half hat trick with another free kick into the top corner, then early in the second half, Michael Bell scored from a rebound after David Dormand’s shot was blocked. Reid scored his personal fourth with a good effort near the end. It was the second time this season that Reid has scored four times in a game.

West Allotment manager Paul Stoneman said; “We played well, and to be fait, it’s been coming for a while. A result like that, five good goals and a clean sheet, can’t ask for anything more.”

Norton manager Andy Campbell said; “it was a poor performance and attitude all round. We need to turn things around quickly so this doesn’t set in and ruin the season.”

Heaton Stannington are seven points behind the leaders in third thanks to a 2-1 home win over Willington, their first game under their new floodlights.

Paul Blakey, who has recently returned to the side recently after recovering from a broken jaw, put Heaton into the lead from the edge of the box on 4 minutes, but Adam Pinkney levelled for Willington. However Jonathan Wright scored his 29th league goal of the season from 20 yards to give Heaton the points on 28 minutes.

Heaton Stannington assistant manager Geoff Walker said; “It was a hard fought game on a heavy pitch. We missed key players because of suspensions and unavailability and had to put an outfield player in goal because our new keeper let us down. So we’re delighted with the win.”

Willington manager Rob Lee said; “I thought we deserved a point. We had more possession, but the difference was two 30 yard strikes from them.”

Darlington RA’s hopes suffered a blow when they lost 2-1 at Chester-le-Street.

Chester took the lead on 15 minutes with a shot by Michael Hepplewhite, but the RA levelled with a free kick from David Webster. However, Damien Stevens got the winner with almost the last kick of the game.

Chester-le-Street manager Colin Wake said; “It was a really tough game against one of the best teams we’ve come across in the division this year. A goal by Damien Stevens deep into stoppage time won the points when a possibly a share of the spoils would have been fairer. The team spirit in the camp is dragging us through games when we are not at our best.”

Seaham Red Star, previously in fourth, also had a bad day, losing 4-0 at Thornaby. Curtis Edwards, who has returned to the club from Darlington, put Thornaby into the lead, then Seaham had Michael Turnbull sent off. Thornaby took control, and scored further goals through Robert Pearson, David Onions and Gerard Livingstone.

Seaham Red Star manager Mark Collingwood said; “The best team won. We were missing a full midfield and the sending off killed us. The two 16 year olds that came in were a credit to the club. We have had a bad day at the office, but we will bounce back.”

Jarrow Roofing jumped over Seaham into fourth with a 3-0 home win over Alnwick.

After a goalless first half, Andy Appleby headed them into the lead, then he chipped the second from a Liam McBryde pass. He fired his hat trick from the edge of the box, but in the dying minutes capped an eventful game when he was dismissed for two yellows.

Jarrow Roofing manager Richie McLoughlin said; “It was a hard game in the first half when it was 50-50 and we missed four good chances, but in the second half it was all Roofing.”

Birtley, made up completely of teenagers, jumped three places from ninth to sixth with a 3-1 victory over South Shields. After a goalless first half, Birtley scored twice in the space of three minutes through Dan Taggart and Callum Hope, then Taggart scored a third from the penalty spot. Ben Riding pulled a goal back for Shields, but then they had Stephen Ramsey dismissed for two yellows.

Birtley manager Paul Bryson said; “It was a very good result. An excellent second half performance. We had three 17 year olds and the rest under 19s. A great game for their development.”

Esh Winning had a much-needed 4-1 home win over Whitehaven, and are four points behind third bottom Brandon. They went a goal behind to Craig Robson, but then Graham Stephenson hit back with four for Esh.

Esh Winning manager Gavin Mudd said; “We played excellent. I played and so did Shaun Gregory, and that added a bit of experience.”

In the Evo-Stik League, a late goal by Dan Maguire gave Blyth a 2-1 home win over Barwell after he had earlier opened the scoring, while Whitby are now up to fifth after a goal by Graeme Armstrong beat Matlock.