Match Report: Matlock Town 0-0 South Shields

South Shields extended their unbeaten run to 10 games as their Pitching In Northern Premier League trip to Matlock Town ended goalless on Tuesday.

The result moved the Mariners 10 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand on second-placed Hyde United.

Shields had won 4-0 at Marske United three days earlier and Kevin Phillips opted to name an unchanged line-up for the visit to the Proctor Cars Stadium.

In bitterly cold conditions, the away side enjoyed much of the first half possession but chances were difficult to come by.

The first effort on goal came via the head of Matlock frontman Jorome Slew, but he was unable to seriously test Myles Boney.

At the other end, Darius Osei whipped a strike from distance narrowly over the crossbar and later had a powerful shot blocked after turning in the penalty area.

That was as good as it got in terms of goalmouth action until the second half, when the game began to open up somewhat.

Alex Byrne's free-kick landed on the roof of Boney's net, but it was Shields who most seriously threatened a breakthrough.

They almost had it when a slick move led to Blair Adams being played in on the left of the box, only for home goalkeeper Saul Deeney to close the angle quickly and make a smothering save.

Matlock carried a threat of their own and struck the crossbar from a corner following a scramble in the Shields box.

The game became feisty in the closing stages and there was another decent opportunity for Shields when Dylan Mottley-Henry wriggled his way through a number of challenges before being denied by Deeney.

Mackenzie Heaney also saw a free-kick from distance pushed wide, but a goal appeared increasingly unlikely at either end and it ultimately did not come.

Shields moved a further point clear at the top following the draw, and travel to Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday for their final match in a sequence of four consecutive away fixtures.

South Shields: Boney, Hunter, Adams (c), Liddle, Broadbent, Smith, Heaney, Briggs (Shokunbi 67), Osei (Mongoy 76), Alessandra (Woods 67), Mottley-Henry. Subs not used: Gomes, Doherty.

Attendance: 604.