Mariners show true grit to win Vase derby
SOUTH Shields coach Jon KIng hailed his side after they turned in a 'gritty' performance to see off North Shields 2-0 on Saturday.
The FA Vase clash at Filtrona Park wasn't one for the purists, but the Mariners didn't care after picking up only their second win of the season.
First-half goals from Chris Winn and Paul Kane inside a couple of minutes put the home side through to the next round in a derby that in years gone by used to attract huge crowds.
King said: "The second half was a test, but we dug in and ground it out. I thought North Shields were the much better team in the second half.
"But our front two in the first half were fantastic, and that was the difference.
"It was a big derby, North Shields had a great result last week against Newcastle Benfield, so we knew they'd be a tough test.
"It was all about who wanted it the most. It was a gritty performance. It wasn't pretty, but we dug in and ground out a result.
"We put the ball in the net, which is all that matters. Two goals in quick succession won it.
"It didn't kill the game because 2-0 is always a funny scoreline. You don't know whether to bomb on or defend what you've got.
"If the other team score it gives them the momentum.
"Full credit to North Shields, they gave us a cracking game second half, but we stood firm and defended well.
"I don't think they created many chances, we got close and tight.
"The keeper (Michael Robinson) probably had their best chance with his header near the end but our lads got behind the ball well.
"They changed their formation at half-time, and went 4-3-3 but the lads worked extremely hard to protect the back four."
The game changed on 27 minutes. Winn took advantage of a defensive error to brush aside the challenge of two defenders and then slot the ball past Robinson in the North Shields goal.
From the restart, South Shields won the ball in the centre of the park and again Winn raced past the North Shields defence before firing a shot at goal from the angle of the box that Robinson was only able to parry, and Kane pounced to mark his debut with a well-taken goal.
The Mariners will travel to Ryton in the next round of the competition.
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Weather for South Shields
Saturday 11 February 2012
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