By Match report: Cleethorpes Town earn point at North Shields
Cleethorpes Town claimed a hard-earned point on the road at North Shields in the league on Saturday.
It was the Owls’ first 0-0 draw away from home since the opening day of the 2019/20 campaign and ensured they remain comfortably in the playoff places.
With six members of the squad either injured or unavailable, Nathan Arnold faced plenty of selection issues.
The new boss made four changes from the side that drew with Hebburn last week and the squad contained five teenagers, including Harvey Tomlinson, who has joined the club on a one-month loan from Grimsby Town.
It was a cold afternoon when the action got underway on the northern bank of the River Tyne.
Tomlinson was quickly into the action at both ends of the field after making a clean tackle to help out the defence and then seeing a shot saved by Finlay Hodgson.
Clee certainly started the better of the two sides, with the lively Declan Howe and Will Annan both bursting clear, before forcing the keeper into relatively comfortable stops.
The game became slightly scrappier as the half wore, as both defences came out on top and limited the forwards to very few opportunities.
North Shields had a decent chance on the verge of half-time, but Paterson would have been disappointed to see his effort fly over the crossbar from a good position.
Clear-cut opportunities continued to be at a premium after the break and it wasn’t until late on that the best move of the day arrived.
The Owls cut through the hosts’ defence with a quick breakaway, before Bateson unselfishly played a square pass to Moore-Billam, who was lurking near the penalty spot. But the young midfielder’s side-footed effort flew a yard wide of the post with just three minutes left to play.
Then, in injury time, Paul Van-Zandvliet failed to convert at the back-post for the hosts, with Clee taking away a hard-fought point.
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