Title favourites make Brighouse suffer

Both teams had won their opening Evo-Stik NPL games of the season at the weekend but The Mariners showed why they are the title favourites with a convincing success.

South Shields, who won the FA Vase Final at Wembley in May, took the lead with a looping header from Carl Finnigan after 15 minutes and he hit the woodwork shortly after.

Barrie Smith doubled the lead on 37 minutes and Michael Richardson (54), Matty Patterson (72) and Jamie Holmes (78) added to the home tally.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic. Aaron Martin had a header cleared off the line and Tom Robinson fired wide as the visitors started the second half well.

Jacob Buchanan had a shot deflected just wide midway through the first half before Adam Jones had a good chance but was denied by ‘keeper Liam Connell.

Brighouse, who had beaten Skelmersdale United 1-0 at home last weekend, are at Bamber Bridge in the preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.