Shildon AFC’s impressive 0-6 thumping of Penrith at the weekend was undone in midweek when they fell to a 3-2 defeat at Marske United.
The defeat means the Railwaymen slip behind the top two, Bishop Auckland and Easington Colliery, who kept up their impressive winning runs over Kendal and Redcar respectively.
The Railwaymen would have travelled to lowly Marske-by-the-Sea full of confidence having put Penrith to the sword at the weekend.
On form Alfie Steel opened the scoring with a looping header in the fourth minute, netting for the third match in a row.
Ten minutes before the break, Joe Posthill benefitted from a mishit effort, despatching the wayward effort after the ball landed at his feet.
On the stroke of half time, Ben Reay added a third in a move which started with keeper Andrew Jennison and ended in the back of the hosts’ net just four passes later.
Three more second half goals followed: Steel notching his brace on 51, before two late goals, from Ben Urwin (85) and a mazy dribble from Jack Blackford (89) sealed a comprehensive drubbing.
The Railwaymen remained on the road as they headed for Marske in midweek as strong favourites to maintain their winning form, but the home side had other ideas.
A solitary first half goal by Jey Draper (22) saw the hosts take a lead into the break before Oscar Mahoney doubled the home side’s tally seven minutes into the second half.
Ben Reay gave Shildon hope when he halved the deficit with 25 minutes remaining, but it was Marske who again extended their lead in the 90th through Tyler Goodman.
A 97th minute Alfie Steel goal extended the striker’s scoring run to four games in a row, but proved no more than scant consolation as the Railwaymen fell to their third defeat of the season.
While remaining comfortably in third place, Shildon fall four points behind Easington and six behind Bishop Auckland, with all having played the same number of games.
Shildon host Carlisle City on Saturday, and while they earn a midweek rest, they will undoubtedly be keeping a keen eye on next Wednesday’s midweek fixtures as the top two face each other in Easington.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
