South Shields are just 90 minutes away from Wembley after coming from behind to defeat Coleshill and draw first blood in the Buildbase FA Vase semi-final first leg.
Bidding for a 23rd successive victory, Shields’ afternoon didn’t get off to the best start as the hosts snatched the lead through Jordan Nabat on the stroke of half-time.
Responding to a smart save from Liam Connell, the striker found himself in the perfect place to tuck home the rebound, with Coleshill very much deserving of their lead before the break.
Yet the visitors’ rich vein of form was not to go unrewarded, with David Foley equalising just moments into the second half in almost identical fashion, slotting past captain and goalkeeper Paul Hathaway who had just made a smart stop.
It seemed the game was destined to finish 1-1 after 90 minutes, but Shields ensured they were to get the final say in rather fortuitous circumstances at Pack Meadow, with a shot deflecting off Andrew Stephenson before finding the back of the net.
The victors of this tie will go on to face either Bromsgrove Sporting or Cleethorpes Town on Non-League Finals Day, though it’s anyone’s guess who will be there after their semi-final first leg finished 1-1.
It was the hosts who took the lead as Jason Cowley fired home, an advantage they held to the break after the same man had seen a goal disallowed when the game was still scoreless.
But Cleethorpes fought back, getting a deserved second-half equaliser to keep themselves well in the tie just before the hour mark, with the two set to do battle again next Saturday for the right to reach the Buildbase FA Vase Final.
