With four points gained from six this week, Shildon AFC moved to within three points of league leaders Redcar Athletic in the race for the Northern League title and with it the additional prize of the league’s one automatic promotion spot.
On Saturday, Shildon hosted Kendal Town for a poignant afternoon just days after the tragic loss of the club’s junior player, 10-year-old Poppy Atkinson who was struck by a car on the pitch at Kendal Rugby Club while attending a football training session.
Both clubs paid their respects to Poppy with an impeccably observed minute’s silence ahead of the game, which ended with a share of the points after a 1-1 draw.
James Bailey opened the scoring for the visitors in the third minute, with Shildon levelling through Elliott Day (26).
On Tuesday evening, the Railwaymen welcomed Crook Town to Dean Street with the game kicking off late due to an accident on the A1 delaying the arrival of players.
Once underway, it was the visitors who shocked the home support by taking an early lead through Craig Moody in the 4th minute.
Just nine minutes later, parity was restored when David Vincent got the home side back on level terms.
But it would be the visitors who would take the lead again in the 20th minute through Cieran Jackson – a lead they held on to until the break.
However, the turning point came on the stroke of half time when Jackson was shown a red card, reducing the visitors to ten men.
Shildon soon made use of their numerical advantage when Nathan Greenwood (54’) put the side level again.
But it took until the 75th minute before Elliot Day finally put the hosts in front and with 90 minutes on the clock, Billy Greulich-Smith made sure of maximum points to take the Railwaymen within three points of the top, albeit Redcar’s goal difference of 73 to Shildon’s 43 is as good as another point for the leaders.
Meanwhile, with the Stadium of Light conffirmed as the venue of the Durham Challenge Cup final, and tickets now on sale, Shildon have been drawn away from home to West Auckland Town in the quarter finals of the League Cup.
However, with work ongoing at the West stadium, the match has been switched to Dean Street.
The sides also met at the same stage of the Durham Challenge Cup with Shildon winning 0-4 on that occasion.
Indeed, with Shildon taking a break from league action this weekend, that tie will be their next game, on Tuesday evening, followed by yet another meeting between the sides a week on Saturday in the league.