Goals from Corey McKeown and Aidan Rutledge handed Moors an impressive away win at South Shields and ensured their hopes of a play-off place would go to the last day.
Graeme Lee’s men were more than good value for their triumph at 1st Cloud Arena which could have been even more emphatic had they been more ruthless in front of goal.
McKeown’s tidy finish at the back post on the quarter-hour set the ball rolling before Rutledge came off the bench to win and convert a penalty to wrap up the points.
Lee named an unchanged starting eleven for the short trip to Shields, resisting the urge to make changes after the draw at home to Scarborough Athletic on Good Friday.
The home side started the brighter and had a couple of half chances early on, former Moors man Paul Blackett drilling across goal and wide before Robert Briggs hooked over from close-range after a corner from Mackenzie Heaney had caused problems.
However, it was Moors who hit the front on 15 minutes. Lee’s men pressed high on their hosts and robbed possession on the edge of the penalty area and Olly Dyson nudged the ball right for Rob Ramshaw. The midfielder fizzed an inviting low ball through the penalty area, and it arrived at the feet of McKeown at the back post to sweep home the opening goal.
Ramshaw himself could have made it 2-0 six minutes later when Reece Staunton’s cross from the left was skilfully flicked into his path by Glen Taylor, but the midfielder’s crisp low drive was excellently saved by Shields keeper Kyle Seymour.
There was another nearly moment for Ramshaw shortly afterwards when he unleashed a ferocious, swerving effort from 30 yards but it dipped just wide of the upright with Seymour beaten.
Dyson created a chance for Taylor at the start of the second period when his deep cross found the striker, but his left foot drive was deflected wide of the near post.
Shields had a good chance to level just before the hour when some neat football engineered an opportunity for Blackett on the right of the area but he drove a low shot across goal and wide.
Junior Mondal could have made it 2-0 just afterwards when he ran on to Staunton’s inviting cross from the left, but he couldn’t find the connection needed and scuffed an effort off-target.
There was an astonishing moment on 65 minutes when Shields sub Dan Ward escaped down the right to cross for Blackett who looked odds-on to score from close range only to be denied by an extraordinary point-blank save from Brad James.
Rutledge was introduced to give Taylor a rest and the former Shields loan man made an immediate impact, running on to Ramshaw’s ball in behind before being upended by Seymour as he dashed from his line. The front man picked himself up to ram an unstoppable penalty into the roof of the net to double Moors’ lead and put them firmly in the driving seat.
Ward drilled a shot just wide of James’ left-hand post at the death, but Moors protected their clean sheet and ensured that there remains a chance of snatching a top seven finish if they can beat Oxford City at The Brewery Field on Saturday.
Full Time: South Shields 0 Moors 2
South Shields: Seymour, Hughes (Ward 63), Morse (Broadbent 46), Briggs, Shepherd, Smith, Jenkins, Carson, Heaney, Allan (Stephenson 58), Blackett.
Subs not used: Boney, Crossley.
Moors: James, Dyson, Ledger, Beals, Staunton, Dolan, Shrimpton, Mondal (Simpson 69), Ramshaw, McKeown (Hancox 75), Taylor (Rutledge 69).
Subs not used: Myers, Pollock.
Referee: Lee Hible
Attendance: 2,070
