WEDNESDAY 26TH DECEMBER SHILDON 2-1 WEST AUCKLAND TOWN ANL1

TEAM. SPENCE, JURY, ANKERS, MASON, PTAK, HUTTON, MOORE, EVERITT, MASTERS, GREDZIAK, NIVEN. SUBS. HOWARTH, COWANS,EMSON.

The game started as you would expect in a local derby, full of tackles and misguided passes, sadly the main talking point was a awful tackle on former West player Karl Everitt by Danny Key, Karl had to be stretchered off the field and taken to hospital, Danny Key was shown the red card and rightly so. Shildon had the first chance of the match when Tyson Masters forced the West keeper to save in the 9th minute. West continued much in the same vain with their robust approach to football. A superb piece of football from Shildon brought the first goal of the game, Stuart Niven finished with a cracking volley after some great play from Masters and Mason. West did manage one effort in the 26th minute which went harmlessly over the bar. John Jury had a long range effort blocked in the 20th minute as the home side went in search of a second goal. Ankers, Mason and Niven all went close in the final stages of the half but it was striker Wayne Gredziak who put Shildon 2 goals up deep in injury time after another piece of great football from the home side. Shildon went into the half time break with a deserved two goal lead.

HALF TIME SHILDON 2-0 WEST AUCKLAND.

Masters was replaced by Emson at the start of the second half and was in action only minutes after coming on, he was unlucky not to capitalise on a bad back pass from the West defence.  West Auckland managed to get a goal back just a minute later in rare attack against the run of play, Shildon seemed to have lost concentration in the early stages of the half.  The away side continued lunging on Shildon players and as a result the referee booked 3 West players in quick succession. Shildon kept their cool and didn't get drawn into West's way of playing.  Ptak came close in the 53rd minute and Emson was unlucky in the 59th minute.  Emson had a golden chance in the 70th minute from Gredziak's throw in, he was found himself 1 on 1 with the keeper but failed to score. With time running out West piled forward in search of an equaliser, Spence raced out to stamp out the danger in the 82nd minute , just four minutes later West somehow managed to miss an open goal , and with it went their chances of getting anything out of the game. This was a vital win for Shildon who managed to keep their calm against a side who seemed intent on spoiling the play.

SAFC MATCH STATS

GOALS: NIVEN 19 MINS

GREDZIAK 45 + 5 MINS

BOOKINGS

EMSON 90+ 2

SUBS

EVERITT/ HOWARTH/ 6 MINS

MASTERS/ EMSON/ 45 MINS

HOWARTH/ COWANS/ 63 MINS