Freescoring Shildon AFC reduced the deficit at the top of Northern League Division One to five points on Tuesday night after a 4-1 home win to West Allotment Celtic, added to a 0-6 away win on Saturday at Whitley Bay.
With leaders Bishop Auckland’s midweek visit to Crook postponed, for the first time in some weeks, the team at the top will be looking over their shoulder.
As well as narrowing the points gap, Shildon have now entirely closed the goal difference deficit, having been as much as twenty goals adrift around Christmas time.
The top two now have an equal goal difference of 68, while Shildon have scored one more goal (93) than their title rivals.
In their past six games sinces defeat at Penrith, Shildon have found the net 36 times – an average of six goals a game.
Saturday saw the Railwaymen travel to Whitley Bay where Billy Greulich-Smith continued his prolific recent goal-scoring form by notching his second hat-trick in four games.
The veteran striker has now found the net in each of the last seven games, including Tuesday night, scoring a total of thirteen goals.
However, he is unlikely to catch Shildon’s – and the league’s – top scorer, Joe Posthill, who scored twice on Saturday and again on Tuesday, to take his season’s tally to 29.
Saturday’s other scorer was Andrei Ardelean while the other two goals on Tuesday were scored by Leighton Harris.
This weekend, Shildon host Seaham Red Star while Bishops travel to West Allotment.
Meanwhile, the Northern League has written to the FA to seek an extension to the season due to “serious concerns about the ability of some clubs to complete their fixtures.”
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
