Having long since relinquished the tag of Northern League promotion favourites, Shildon AFC made no mistake in dispatching Wearside League Premier Division outfit Silksworth Colliery Welfare in their midweek Durham Challenge Cup second round tie in midweek.
The 4-1 win at Dean Street on Tuesday night came on the heels of a 2-1 weekend win over Guisborough Town in the league, which lifted the strugglers back into tenth place having dropped into the bottom half the previous week.
A full 20 points behind leaders, Redcar, the Railwaymen were looking for revenge on Saturday afternoon after the Priorymen had got the better of their FA Vase Second Qualifying Round tie at the King George V Ground just a fortnight ago. It took until the stroke of half time for Ciaran Banks to make the breakthrough and put Shildon in front at Dean Street.
Leighton Harris looked to have sealed the win when he doubled the advantage with ten minutes to play, but a late strike by Mustapha Abdullahi two minutes from time will have sent fears of another late collapse surging through the home crowd. But on this occasion, the players held on to record only their second home league win of the season.
It was then the turn of the fourth-place side in the Wearside League’s top division to visit, and any notion of a potential cup upset were laid to rest by half-time.
New signing, Nathan Greenwood, put the Railwaymen in front in 12 minutes before Billy Greulich-Smith added to the tally on 25.
A Leighton Spalding finish on the 39th minute saw the favourites into the break three to the good and Harris put the seal on the win in 67 minutes, albeit Silksworth sent their followers home with a Davey Stevens consolation two minutes into added time at the end.
Next up is a trip to the Sir Tom Cowie Millfield to face Crook Town in the league.
The Black and Ambers are just a point and a place behind Shildon, but with two games in hand over their near rivals.
Meanwhile, having lost goalkeeper Shaun Newbrook, who left recently to take up a coaching role at Boldon CA, Shildon have signed Andrew Jennison from Seaham Red Star as his replacement with hopes of more signings to come.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
