DESPITE extending their winless run to seven league games, Warrington Rylands caretaker manager Jody Banim once again insisted his side “dominated” hosts South Shields on Saturday.
Robert Briggs’ goal six minutes from time ensured three points for the pre-season title favourites in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 at the 1st Cloud Arena.
The result leaves Blues 14th in the Northern Premier League Premier Division table but Banim believes his side could again consider themselves unfortunate to come away empty-handed.
“I thought we dominated the whole game,” he said.
“I don’t think they had a spell where they dominated us – we controlled it in and out of possession. Our shape was really good, we didn’t allow them to play from central areas and we compressed it really well.
“If we’d have come in 3-0 up at half time, there wouldn’t have been any shock there. We’re not putting those moments into the back of the net when we’re on top of teams.
“We created some really good opportunities and their keeper must be in double figures for saves.
“We can’t keep dominating games and not winning – we’ve scored a lot of goals this season but it’s the big moments when we need a goal that we’re not getting at the minute.
“I’m so proud of the performance overall but I’m just hurting because I don’t think we’ve got what we deserved.”
Read Garry Clarke's full match report below
A LATE goal from South Shields substitute Robert Briggs sunk Warrington Rylands and extended the Blues winless run in the NPL Premier Division to seven games, but this one came on the back of one of their best performances of the season.
A performance which saw Rylands dominate the game but they could not put the ball in the back of the net.
A performance which had many of the locals claiming Rylands were the best side to have faced the favourites to win the league this season.
The kick off at Mariners Park was put back by 15 minutes due to the late arrival of the Rylands team coach which had been delayed on the A1, but the visitors showed no signs of “coach lag” as they took the game to their hosts from the off.
Leading scorer Callum Dolan was heavily involved in the opening exchanges, having a shot blocked by a Shields defender, seeing another fly inches wide of the target and being denied by a good save from goalkeeper Myles Boney all in the first seven minutes of an entertaining game.
Martin Smith had the home side’s first attempt on goal in the ninth minute sending a long range shot over the bar.
The home side tried to play out from the back but were often caught in possession by a hard-working Rylands outfit which won the ball back in some dangerous positions.
Boney was called into action again in the 14th minute to keep out a 25 yard shot from Dolan and a minute later to keep out a shot from Harry Pratt.
Dolan had another shot blocked by a desperate defender and Sean Cooke fired a shot over the bar from outside the area.
A virtual spectator for most of the first half, Rylands goalkeeper Joel Torrance was tested for the first time in the 38th minute.
Dylan Mottley-Henry cut in from the right and let fly with a shot from 25 yards, but the big keeper was equal to the task.
As the half drew to a close, Smith won the ball on the half way line and, spotting Torrance off his line, he audaciously tried to chip him but the ball drifted harmlessly wide before the half finished with Boney making a fingertip save to divert another Dolan shot over the bar.
The second half started with Dolan shooting just wide from distance before Shields have a couple of attempts at goal of their own, with Torrance easily saving a Mackenzie Heaney shot in the 55th minute while the same player was off target with another effort 10 minutes later.
After a scrappy period of play in which referee Mr Scott booked several players from both sides, the Shields substitute struck in the 84th minute.
Motley-Henry outflanked the Rylands rearguard and after reaching the dead ball line, he pulled back a low cross which was met on the far side of a packed penalty area by Briggs, who struck the ball into the roof of the net.
The full-time professionals of South Shields saw out the final minutes to move up to second in the table.
Rylands: Torrance, Hayde, Mustoe (Hunt), Hockenhull, Egerton, Furman, Dolan, McCourt, Pratt, Cooke (N’Mai), Drummond (Neild). Sub not used: Cookson
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