Friday night football returned to Scotswood as Newcastle Blue Star narrowly lost 4-2 to Northern League Division One side Shildon.
Shildon’s number nine opened the scoring with a calm finish in the 9th minute followed by an equaliser by new signing Harvey Walsh in the 21st minute. The away side would then regain the lead just before the half-time whistle with their number nine grabbing his second of the night in the 43rd minute.
The second half saw Shildon extend their lead with their number 12 scoring in 79th minute followed by their number nine bagging his hattrick in the 87th minute. Blue Star however would pull one back a minute later through Dan Lanning.
With their league campaign set to kick off next Saturday, Blue Star entered the game hoping for a win after a disappointing display against West Allotment last time out. Shildon meanwhile visited Scotswood fresh from a 4-0 defeat at the hands of South Shields.
The opening minutes of the game saw the home side control the majority of the ball, but it would be the away side who would take an early lead in the 9th minute, with the Shildon number nine calmly slotting his effort into the bottom corner, after some smart link-up play with his strike partner.
Blue Star responded well to the opener stringing a number ofnice moves together - eventually finding an equaliser in the 21st minute when new signing Walsh fired home from close range, after the ball fell kindly to him in the box.
Despite ‘The Star’ controlling most of the possession, Shildon remained dangerous throughout - eventually catching the home side on the break in the 43rd minute. As a long ball from the Shildon goalkeeper fell at the feet of the Shildon number nine who rounded the Blue Star keeper and slotted into an open net.
Blue Star could not find a reply before the break meaning Shildon went into half-time ahead 2-1 on the scoresheet.
It was a cagey start to the half with neither side taking a foothold in the game. It took till the 61st minute for the first significant chance of the second half with the Shildon number seven seeing his shot cannon off the post.
‘The Star’ also had some chances of their own with both Lanning and Nelson Ogbewe nearly finding an equaliser - but as Blue Star pushed for an equaliser, they would again be caught on the break as Shildon extended their lead in the 79thminute, with Shildon’s number 12 tapping home after a rebound.
Shildon would then bag themselves a fourth goal after their number nine headed home from a corner in the 87th minute. Blue Star however would reply with a goal of their own only a minute later, when a deflected shot fell to the feet of Lanning who calmly found the back of the net.
Ultimately though it would be Shildon who would come away with the win, leaving Scotswood with a 4-2 victory.