A JJ Hooper inspired comeback helped South Shields to a 4-2 win over Nantwich Town at the 1st Cloud Arena, writes Liam Price.
A muted start to the game was broken 14 minutes in as Akiel Raffie led the Dabbers first real attack, a pacy and brilliant run that was ended with him brought down in the area for a penalty.
Sean Cooke nervelessly converted for 1-0, leaving the league leaders reeling.
Shields tried to respond with midfielder Mitchell Rose playing very high up the pitch and had a couple of half chances, an effort curled over and a header that hit the side netting from a narrow angle.
But it was the Dabbers who struck again in spectacular style.
An attack down the left from Matty Devine saw the ball to Jake Bickerstaff in the left channel.
He beat his man, cut inside onto his right foot and slotted it past Myles Boney in the Shields goal for a 2-0 lead for the Dabbers.
Nathan Lowe was an ongoing danger for Shields, dropping into little pockets of space on the right and whipping in crosses, a shot of his forced Matty Gould into his first proper save.
Then the non stop right back for Shields Jordan Hunter fired low to Gould’s right and he kept it out well.
He also managed to save the rebound but it didn’t matter as he was offside.
The 2,000-plus home crowd were starting to get frustrated, groans could be heard even on passes that went backwards, showing the demands put on this team to deliver attacking and winning football.
Another cross from Lowe just evaded JJ Hooper who would have scored with any sort of touch, and that meant the Dabbers went in with an unexpected two-goal lead.
Shields came out swinging in the second half, but it was a poor refereeing decision that really started to build the momentum for the home side.
A shot hit Devine on the elbow and the referee pointed to the spot but video footage shows Devine was outside the penalty area.
The penalty struck the post but the it spurred the home side on.
And the hosts got back into the game just two minutes later.
An unfortunate slip let in Sam Hodgson who dinked the ball over Gould for Hooper to finish off and ignite the home crowd.
Just three minutes later, it was all square.
Lowe, in that half-space again, clipped a smart ball in and it only took a flick of the neck muscles of Hooper to direct it goalwards and see the Dabbers lead disappear.
Robert Briggs then fired just wide before the Dabbers nearly retook the lead with 20 minutes to go.
A counter saw the ball drop to Cooke, who took a touch to control and another to hit hard and low. It took a great save from Boney to stop it finding the far corner.
Gould then had to be alert to stop what would have been a goal from a mishit cross from the right hand side.
Joe Robbins tried in vain from distance to pull the lead back, but a final push from Shields was coming.
It was Hooper again, and his dominant header gave Shields the lead and his hat-trick and retain their place at the top of the league.
The scoring was completed just four minutes later.
A stumble made Hooper’s job a bit easier as he finished high past Gould, an incredible afternoon for him and a tough one to take for the Dabbers.
Nantwich now face perhaps their biggest game of the season against Cheshire neighbours Witton on Tuesday night as they battle against relegation.
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