South Shields suffer penalty heartbreak as Warrington Town progress to play-off final

The pre-match atmosphere was full of anticipation as Shields aimed to banish the demons of their 2019 play-off defeat against the same opposition.

And from the moment ‘Thunderstruck’ was played, the home support were in fine voice, accompanied by a constant drumbeat that provided a soundtrack to the encounter.

Robert Briggs was involved early on as he first saw a shot sail high of the Warrington goal before his wonderful ball found Will McGowan in space but the striker couldn’t poke the ball home past Atherton.

Shields thought they had taken the lead with ten minutes on the clock when JJ Hooper headed home a lush cross from Darius Osei, however, the linesman judged that he had strayed into an offside position.

However, ten minutes later they were ahead, as top-scorer Osei turned from provider to finisher to put the hosts into the lead.

A good effort from Hooper was initially saved by Atherton but after a spot of pinball, Osei spun the defender and fired his effort into the far corner - giving Atherton no chance to pull off another stop.

Shields probably just shaded play before half-time as the home support were incensed that Josh Amis didn’t see red for a flailing arm that caught Jon Shaw.

Half-time came with the hosts deservedly one ahead and in relative control of proceedings.

However, it was the visitors who started brightest after the break with Jordan Buckley causing all sorts of problems for the Shields back line - and it wasn’t long before he made them pay

A poor header from Shaw left Boney scrambling as Buckley won a fair challenge on the keeper before tapping home into an empty net.

A lacklustre start to the second period had sections of the home support getting a bit restless as the visitors controlled the opening stages of the second-half.

Warrington continued their dominance as Sean Williams saw his free-kick smash the post in-front of the travelling cohort of Town supporters.

Jack Bodenham and Hunter both then had speculative efforts at goal for the hosts but neither troubled the Warrington goal.

Both sides pressed for a winner but neither keeper was tested as extra-time loomed.

The first period of extra-time was a scrappy affair but when Williams saw another free-kick go agonisingly wide of the post before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts put his late effort wide, the hosts could count themselves a little lucky to still be on level terms.

In the second period, Evan Gumbs and Osei traded efforts on goal but were denied by great saves from both keepers at either end. And so, onto the dreaded penalty shootout.

Both sides scored four successful penalties and had one saved before Hunter missed the crucial 12th penalty as Warrington went home victorious.

South Shields: Myles Boney, Jordan Hunter, Blair Adams, Jon Shaw, Dillon Morse, Jack Bodenham, Samuel Wilding (Rose, 74), Robert Briggs, JJ Hooper (Hodgson, 89), Will McGowan, Darius Osei

Substitutes: Mitchell Rose, Will Jenkins, Conor Tee, Alex Kempster, Sam Hodgson