Shildon’s signature rapid start to games this season was replaced by the late show against second-place Whitley Bay at the weekend, albeit when the first goal came, it was quickly followed by three more.
Another 4-0 win saw the Railwaymen stretch away to a seven-point lead at the top of the table, and with local rivals, Bishop Auckland going down to Heaton Stannington, they are now the only unbeaten team in the division.
After a stale first half, Shildon had the perfect opportunity to take the lead when Joe Posthill looked certain to keep up his remarkable record of both winning and scoring penalites. Having been brought down in the box to win, then score, the previous four, he was again felled in the 51st minute to win his fifth spot kick in a row.
On this occasion he faced former teammate, Harrison Bond, who, having had the opportunity to study the forward at close quarters, was able to put his homework to good use and make an excellent save to put an end to Posthill’s incredible run. The miss took some time to recover from, but the Railwaymen, in control of possession for the bulk of the half, finally found the target through Andrei Ardelean in the 70th minute.
Then the floodgates opened. Within four minutes, the game was over as Shildon converted twice more. Three minutes after giving his side the lead, Ardelean doubled his and Shildon’s tally and just a minute later, Luke Spalding left the visitors wondering what had hit them after a resolute first three-quarters of the game.
The last word fell once again to that man Postill, who was not to be denied. Shildon continued to pound the Whitley Bay defence and in the final minute, Posthill completed a rout that twenty minutes earlier, would have been considered the most unlikely of outcomes.
This weekend, the Railwaymen travel to Seaham to take on a lowly Red Star, who have just two wins to their name so far this season. The game will be followed in midweek by the first round of the Durham Challenge Cup, when Shildon will host second division Jarrow on Tuesday night at 7.30pm.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
