Nissan had the best of the early exchanges with a sustained period of pressure in the first 10 minutes and a good shot which went wide in the 2nd minute.  Shildon soaked up the early pressure and Masters was unlucky in the 13th minute when his effort just went just wide of the back post.  Shildon were down to 10 men in the 15th minute when Spence in the Shildon goal was judged to have handled the ball outside of his area. The referee sent him off and Gredziak went in goal to replace him.  From the resulting free kick Gredziak managed to get to the ball and push it away but the home side pounced on the loose ball and slotted it past Gredziak to put Nissan 1-0 ahead.  Shildon regrouped and managed to create a few half chances themselves.  Clarke had to make a last ditch challenge to keep Nissan from scoring the 30th minute but other than that the game was equally balanced.  Masters saw his volley go over the bar in the 36th minute and Shildon continued to play good passing football despite being a man down.   Against the run of play the home side broke away in the 45th minute and extended their lead to 2-0.  Shildon responded almost immediately when Niven played in a great ball which Everitt picked up at the back post and headed into the Nissan net to claw 1 back for the Railwaymen. 

HALF TIME   SUNDERLAND NISSAN 2 -1 SHILDON

Shildon started the second half positively with Masters working hard to try and get a breakthrough.  In the 50th minute Nissan had a shot just wide a minute later Ptak had to make a last ditch tackle to deny the home side.  Emson replaced Masters in the 55th minute and was in action straightaway when his shot went over the bar.  Niven was unlucky in the 63rd minute when his great curling effort went inches wide of the goal.  In the 67th minute Nissan were awarded a penalty and without a recognised goalkeeper in goal it looked certain that Nissan would extend their lead.  Gredziak managed a great save from the penalty to keep Shildon in the game much to the delight of the travelling Shildon fans. At the other end Shildon had their own appeal for a penalty in the 78th minute waved away by the referee.  In the 82nd minute Emson raced through the Nissan defence and forced a great save out of the keeper, from the resulting corner Mendum fired a shot just over the bar. A last minute volley from Moore dipped just over the bar and although Shildon had battled hard with 10 men for most of the game and played the better football, they came away from the game empty handed.

FULL TIME  SUNDERLAND NISSAN 2 - 1 SHILDON

Match Stats

Goals
Everitt 46 mins

Bookings
Everitt 12 mins
Moore 70 mins
Spence 12 mins (sent off)

Subs
Emson for Masters 55 mins
Cowan for Howarth 68 mins
Raitt for Niven 74 mins