Shildon led league leaders Easington by three unanswered goals with just a dozen minutes remaining of their midweek face-off at Dean Street, but ended the game with just one point as the visitors roared back to snatch a draw. And with second-place Bishop Auckland losing to Yarm, instead of cling in on the leaders, Shildon find themselves dropping down to fourth while Bishop’s vanquishers leap above them in the table.
The evening couldn’t have got off to a better start for the Railwaymen who opened the scoring through Jack Blackford on 11 minutes and doubled thier lead just two minutes laters when Joe Posthill scored the first of a brace.
Shildon would have expected the next goal to be crucial and when it came again from Posthill in the 58th minute, the home support must have surely felt the gap to the top was set to close.
Instead, as the home support have become unfortunately accustomed to in recent seasons, a late collapse saw the home side throw away three crucial points against their main promotion rivals.
James Watson got the comeback under way in the 78th minute and the Shildon fans must have feared the worst four minutes later when Ethan Ord reduced the defecit to just one. And so their fears proved founded when Aiden Stanton levelled the scored with just two minutes remaining.
The side had to see out a further seven minutes to ensure calamity did not become catastrophe. Having maintained contact with the top two at the weekend after a goal in each half ensured victory away at Blyth Town, Shildon will undoubtedly see the midweek result as a huge opportunity wasted.
It was Blackford who also sored the first goal at the weekend on 38 minutes and it took until eight minutes from time before Ben Urwin ensure maximum points on the road.
Curiously, Shildon now find themselves maintaining the gap to the leaders, moving a point closer to second place Bishop, yet falling a place down the league table as Yarm leapfrog them into third. And the Railwaymen must immediately pick themselves up as they welcome Yarm to Dean Street this weekend with the change to re-swap places.
That game will be followed by a midweek break as they prepare for their FA Vase Second Round tie against Carlisle City the following Saturday, again at home.
Meanwhile, the draw for the first two rounds of the Brooks Mileson League Cup have been made, with Shildon joining the competition in the second round where they will host second division side AFC Newbiggin on a date yet to be arranged.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
