TOWN’S goalscoring fest continued at Gateshead on Saturday when they defeated Dunston 3-2 with a very accomplished performance.
Without injured keeper Brett Souter and ever present centre-back Harrison Beeden and on a tacky and part in the shade frozen pitch, they were on the board on two minutes when leading goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo headed home to take his tally to 13.
The ball had come in from the left after some skillful work from Shiraz Khan and was met by Javelle Clarke but his shot was parried out and Sorhaindo mopped up with an angled header away from keeper Liam Connell.
The home players and crowd were shocked and Town continued to take the game to their hosts with Khan, Sorhaindo and Clarke well and truly on the front foot.
However, in the sixteenth minute following an initial cross, the ball was recycled back into the box and this time Lee Mason was on the end of the cross and headed home to equalise.
Dunston had a purple patch and Town, with Matty Nebard and Aiden Walker in the centre of defence, had to work overtime and debutant keeper from Huddersfield Town, Londoner Giosue Bellagambi made a great save with an outstretched leg from Michael Pearson.
There was a bog blow for Town in the 31st minute when Sorhaindo took a knock and had to be replaced by Elliot Harrison. Town steadied the ship through hard work and with wing-backs Darrius Smith and Josh Grant making headway up the pitch and then tracking back to quell any danger. Town were unfortunate with five minutes to the break to see a James Hurtley piledriver hit the Dunston skipper Craig Scott on his chest on the line with Connell beaten.
The second half was only seven minutes old when Jack Boyle, a 48th minute substitute for Zeph Thomas, received a ball from Clarke, who had chased a crossfield pass from Khan, and, the former Huddersfield Town and Clyde striker fought off a defender and then just inside the box rocketed a shot from a tight angle beyond Connell.
Town, with veteran Hurtley and superb midfield signing Corey Gregory in control, Town were well and truly looking to sew up the match.
In the 71st minute Boyle received the ball once more just inside the box and let fly only to see it hit the base of Connell’s far post and come back out but fortunately former FC Halifax Town player Khan was on hand to steer it firmly into the net and make it 3-1.
Dunston huffed and puffed looking to get back in the game as Hurtley and Grant voiced `game management’ at their colleagues.
In the 88th minute Dunston substitute Scott Heslop did just beat Bellagambi to the ball and that set up a tense remaining couple of minutes plus added time but Town saw out the game for three valuable points.
On Bank Holiday Monday, December 27, Town will entertain Liversedge (3.00) in what should be a feisty derby with several former Town players in their ranks.
Liversedge manager Jon Rimmington has steered the NPL Division East newcomers to second in the table behind Marske and an expected good crowd should be in for an entertaining game with Town having netted 14 goals in their past four games.
The match is being sponsored by the Halifax Steam Brewery/Cock Of The North at Hipperholme. Town have also taken on board another valuable sponsor ahead of Christmas in Halifax-based company CP Media, owned by Mr Michael Brennan who will be sponsoring manager Vill Powell and centre-back Aiden Walker.
