Basford beaten by South Shields

Report by John Bryson

While the visitors deserved to win, all three goals came from defensive lapses in or near Basford’s penalty area.

Saul Deeney made his first start of the season in goal after being out with injury, with new signings Dan Creaney and Shaun Harrad starting up front for Basford. Also returning were Stefan Galinski from injury and Jack Thomas from suspension.

Things went against Basford right from the start, however. After two minutes a loose pass on the edge of the home penalty area was picked up by visiting number 9 Lee Mason who turned the ball back to an unmarked David Foley, who had the time to place the ball wide of Deeney’s left hand to give South Shields an early lead.

The first threat on South Shields goal came in the eighth minute when a high ball into the six yard box was headed for a corner which was cleared.

Mason was in the centre of things in the fifteenth minute, when he was on the end of a right wing centre but headed wide. A minute later a low ball into the Basford area from Foley was blocked and then cleared.

Harrad was on the end of a twentieth minute free kick but the debutant saw his header go straight at South Shields goalkeeper Liam Connell. Creaney was next to threaten when, in the twenty-sixth minute, he saw his looping header go just over Connell’s crossbar.

Two minutes later, however, a mix up between Deeney and GaIinski at a South Shields free kick saw centre back Dillon Morse capitalise to net from close in and double the visitors lead.

South Shields right back Gary Brown saw his low cross-shot go across the face of the Basford goal and narrowly wide in the thirty-fourth minute. Two minutes later Jerry Nash set Matt Thornhill up, but the midfielder saw his dipping shot go just over.

As half time approached it was Basford who threatened in front of goal, when James Reid saw his shot direct from a free kick deflect away off the South Shields defensive wall. This was the last goalmouth action of an entertaining but, for Basford, frustrating 45 minutes with two defensive lapses costing dearly.

Four minutes after the restart a good run by Jack Thomas put pressure on the South Shields defence, but the pass from Thomas was cut out. South Shields then broke away and Foley saw his shot go across the face of the home goal.

Mason was then in the centre of things. First his shot blocked for a corner, from which he netted, but Referee Andy Ellis ruled it out for a foul on Deeney. Mason was then on the end of Blair Adams centre from the left, but saw his header go just over.

The clearest chance for either side so far in this half arrived in the fifty-ninth minute. A ball over the top of the Basford defence saw Adams one on one with Deeney, the home goalkeeper coming to the edge of his area to block the left back’s attempt. Three minutes later Adams set up Craig Baxter for a shot which went straight at Deeney.

A period of play then took place which was broken up by several substitutions before Nash hit a volley into the ground which bounced wide to the right of Connell’s goal.

Deeney came out of his area in the eightieth minute to try and beat Mason to a through ball. The home goalkeeper fouled Mason outside the penalty area, but as other defenders were getting back Referee Ellis awarded a yellow card rather than a straight red to the goalkeeper.

Two minutes later good play in the South Shields area by Liam Bateman saw the Basford full back tackled just when he was about to shoot.

As the match went into added time Creaney had his goal bound shot blocked after a corner. The icing on the cake for South Shields then came in the second minute of added time.

Another loose pass near the home penalty area was picked up by Gavin Cogdon who drove home a low right foot shot past Deeney from an acute angle to secure South Shields 3-0 win.

Basford: Saul Deeney, Dom Roma, Liam Bateman, Jerry Nash, Stef Galinski, Lewis Carr (capt), Jack Thomas (Nat Watson 63), Matt Thornhill, Shaun Harrad (Zak Goodson 86), Dan Creaney, James Reid.
Subs not used: Rev James, Michael Leslie, Kieran Preston.

Attendance: 401

Updated 01:45 - 30 Aug 2019 by Neil McGowan