Watch former Newcastle United academy star’s wonder goal for South Shields amid praise from Sunderland legend

Former Newcastle United academy star Mackenzie Heaney was in fine form as South Shields continued their impressive push for the Northern Premier League Premier Division title with a 4-0 win at Marske United on Saturday.

Kevin Phillips’ side remain nine points clear at the top of the table after they claimed another win on the road and they still have the benefit of holding two games in hand on nearest title rivals Hyde United and Warrington Town. Indeed, Saturday’s win at Mount Pleasant means the Mariners now need to win just five of their last ten games of the season to secure promotion into non-league football’s second tier, the National League North.

Darius Osei opened the scoring 11 minutes before half-time but it was former Magpies academy winger Heaney that stole the show just before the interval when he found the net from just inside the Marske half with an outragerous effort that sailed over Seasiders goalkeeper Oliver Swan. The goal immediately received widespread acclaim when it was released via the Mariners social media outlets on Saturday evening and can be viewed on the tweet below.

Heaney went on to double his tally with another fine strike just before the hour-mark and Mariners captain Blair Adams rounded off an impressive away day for his side when he added a fourth with a neat volley just minutes later.

Speaking after the game, Heaney revealed the thinking behind his remarkable strike and insisted the Mariners will continue to take it ‘week-by-week’ in their bid to finally secure promotion into the National League North.

He told the club website: “I didn’t actually look, I didn’t actually see him off his line. I just took a touch and chanced it and obviously it paid off.”

Speaking of his side’s promotion hopes, Heaney added: “We are in a really good place. We’ve just got to keep picking up points, especially away from home because I think last season it was what we struggled with. As long as we keep picking up points and putting in performances we will be fine.

“We are just taking it game-by-game, not thinking too far ahead, week-by-week, and it will be there for us in the end.”

Heaney received praise from Mariners boss Phillips for his two-goal display as the Sunderland legend described the winger as ‘unplayable’.

He said: “He’s the sort of player where you just give him the ball. You get tight to him, he’ll wriggle you, if you don’t get tight he will drive at you and come inside or go on the outside. He’s got such a low centre of gravity, he’s sometimes unplayable and he has to be fouled to get anything off him.”

The Mariners are back in action on Tuesday night when they visit Matlock Town knowing a win in the first of their two games in hand could take them 12 points clear in the title race with just nine games of the season remaining.